Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Everyone in town knew Landon’s generous approach to his employees. This was the foundation of the Kensington Group’s success and the reason behind the deep loyalty in the Kensington household.
Lacey believed she was merely expressing her frustration, yet she was unwittingly tarnishing Landon’s good name..
Inevitably, the butler would report this incident to Landon; it was part of his duty. He had stood by these colleagues for countless years. Even during Landon’s mysterious absence years ago, they had remained, steadfastly fulfilling their responsibilities. They were not just employees; they were the butler’s comrades.
Among those let go were several older servants. Bound by familial loyalty, they had persisted in their roles despite their advancing years. Yet, they departed without any form of severance-a stark revelation of Lacey’s lack of empathy.
Disturbed by these thoughts, the butler quickened his pace.
That very night, Lacey reached a breaking point. She was horrified to find her possessions from the master bedroom discarded, strewn about with complete disregard for her personal pride.
Lacey arrived to a shocking scene. People were discarding her belongings one by one, treating them as if they were worthless. Fuming, Lacey fixed a piercing glare on the butler, who continued to orchestrate the chaos.
Lacey hissed at the butler, “Why are you doing this? I am Mrs. Kensington, your boss. Do you realize I have the power to dismiss you?”
Unruffled, the butler replied, “Miss Payne, you seem to be mistaken. Mr. Kensington is my employer, not you.”
Lacey, irked by his formal address, raised her voice.
“Refer to me as Mrs. Kensington. I will soon be Landon’s wife, and you should recognize that.” The butler simply chuckled dismissively, clearly unimpressed by her claim.
Lacey’s anger intensified. She intercepted a servant, reclaiming a discarded item with force.
“Why are you discarding my belongings? Do you think I won’t take this up with Landon?”
Lacey was desperate to preserve a favorable impression for Landon in the days leading up to their engagement, believing their relationship would flourish once they were married. Yet, she found herself losing control not once, but twice, on her very first day there.
Despite her nature, she managed to restrain herself, choosing to mince her words when speaking to the butler. The truth was, she lacked the authority to dismiss him, though she wished she could. It was evident that the butler held respect only for Leila and her children, always regarding Lacey with contempt.
The butler lifted his chin slightly and advised, “Miss Payne, I suggest you speak with Mr. Kensington. He made this decision, stating you aren’t to stay in the master bedroom. Continuing this drama will only lead to your embarrassment. For Mr. Kensington’ sake, we’ll keep this quiet. You ought to be thankful.”
Lacey stared at him, dumbfounded, and retorted, “What are you talking about? Why would he bar me from the master bedroom?”
Although Lacey had anticipated Landon’s initial hesitation to be intimate, she considered it typical for early marriage dynamics. She hadn’t intended to claim the master bedroom right away. But now, as they approached their engagement, a question loomed-were they to sleep separately indefinitely?
Initially, Lacey planned to shift her belongings into the master bedroom as a first step. Post-marriage, she hoped to seize a moment to be intimate with Landon, which would naturally lead to her moving in completely.
However, Landon’s actions had abruptly derailed her plans.
As Lacey visibly struggled with her disappointment, the butler gently interjected, “Miss Payne, are you aware that Mr. Kensington conditioned his proposal on a specific term? To clarify, it involves a contract. Mr. Kensington will only attend the engagement party if you consent to this agreement.”
Lacey, puzzled, replied, “A contract? What are you talking about?” She was completely unaware of any such agreement, and Landon had never mentioned it.
At the butler’s gesture, an assistant presented a document to her.
“Considering your engagement party is imminent, Mr. Kensington was explicit-no contract signature, no appearance.” The butler continued, “Remember, he is looking for a partner in marriage, not necessarily love.”
As Lacey perused the contract, her complexion paled. The document explicitly outlined that their union was purely transactional-offering social elevation and financial stability but devoid of affection. Any breach of their agreement-refraining from private intimacy-would lead to an immediate divorce.
Landon’s terms were stern but clear: signing the contract would not only legitimize her as Mrs. Kensington, fulfilling her aspirations, but also enrich her by ten million dollars.
Money was indeed a necessity for Lacey. Yet, she was confident that as Mrs. Kensington, financial shortages would be a thing of the past. Landon’s intentions were now crystal clear. If Lacey refused to sign the contract, she risked becoming the laughingstock at the engagement party, gaining nothing.
This thought suddenly annoyed Lacey. In recent days, she had felt on top of the world, eager to announce her upcoming marriage to Landon. She had reached out to numerous media outlets to share her news. She wanted to show Leila her new status but had no idea where Leila and the seriously ill Elma had gone.
Leila showed no reaction whatsoever.
Lacey preferred to think that Leila was aware of the situation and was quietly crying in a corner.
Back then, Lacey had felt triumphant and proud. Now, her feelings had turned to regret. The engagement party was set to be a grand affair with many guests, and it would even be covered by the media, orchestrated by her. If the event were abruptly canceled, she would be the laughingstock of the community.
This thought made Lacey clench her teeth and crumple the contract in her hand.
The butler quickly cautioned her.
“There is only one copy of that contract. If it’s damaged, Mr. Kensington will take it as a rejection from you.”
Lacey caught her breath and relaxed her hold on the paper. She eyed the butler with suspicion and declared, “I don’t believe Mr. Kensington would say that. You must be trying to trick me. Regardless, I demand to see Mr. Kensington.”
The butler, clearly irritated by her baseless accusations, responded sharply, “I doubt you’re suited to be Mrs. Kensington, but I wouldn’t fabricate this. It’s Mr. Kensington’ personal affair, not mine. I wouldn’t risk my position over such a lie. You must realize, Miss Payne, not everyone is foolish.”
The butler’s words were a veiled insult. Lacey understood his implication and felt frustration rise within her. The sharp-tongued nature of the staff at Kensington Manor was utterly aggravating.
Lacey stood her ground.
“Regardless, I need to see Mr. Kensington. If you’re refusing, it means you’re concealing something.”
The butler dismissively replied, “If you wish to see him, proceed. I am not involved.”
Lacey’s frustration was palpable.
“Won’t you escort me to him?”
The butler gave a faint smile and countered, “You claim to be the future mistress of the Kensington estate. Why do you need guidance to see Mr. Kensington? Aren’t you capable of contacting him directly? Do you not even have his personal contact details?”
Once again, Lacey was mocked. She desperately wanted to confront the butler physically. But the butler had been a long-serving employee, and Landon held him in high esteem.
It took considerable effort for Lacey to contain her anger. She could only manage to glare at him and hiss, “Just wait!”
The butler smiled and motioned for her to proceed.
Lacey stormed off, each step fueled by the fire of her anger as she searched for Landon. But when Lacey finally stood before him, the fury that had propelled her there began to ebb away. Her breaths steadied, and even her footsteps, once sharp and defiant, grew tentative.
“Landon,” she said, her voice trembling under the weight of emotion.
“People are unhappy about us-our marriage. I know it’s because of who I am and where I come from. They think I’m not good enough for you. I’ve ignored their whispers and endured their disdain. But this…”
She faltered, her words caught in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, glistening like unshed confessions. She gazed at Landon, her expression begging for some hint of understanding.
Landon finally looked up, his face unyielding, his dark eyes flat with impatience.
“You don’t have to tell me about this,” he said curtly.
“The butler told you the truth. I asked him to do it all.”
Lacey’s world shifted in an instant. Her face hardened, but her voice softened, as if reasoning could undo the harshness of his words.
“Landon, I don’t mean anything by it. Truly. I’ve brought a few of my things into the master bedroom, but I won’t move in. After all, once we’re married, we’ll need to maintain appearances.”
“Maintain appearances?” Landon’s eyebrows arched, a flicker of amusement-or disdain-crossing his face.
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“Why bother? We’ll live as we should. I don’t care for pretense. And I certainly don’t like being forced into anything. Do you understand?”
Lacey’s frustration bubbled beneath the surface, her lip trembling as she bit down hard.
“Then why marry me at all?”
Landon’s tone turned cold, his gaze piercing.
“I have my reasons. But I’m not obligated to share them with you. I’ve told you before, Lacey-I have little patience. You agreed to this arrangement, so don’t ask questions that won’t change the outcome. Once you’ve signed the contract, hand it over to the butler. Quickly. Don’t waste time. You don’t want to be the only one performing at the engagement party, do you?”
The words hit like shards of ice, shattering any fragile illusions Lacey had dared to hold. Her chest tightened, and tears threatened to spill over, but something inside her shifted. Why feel sadness? Why cry before someone who lacked the capacity for empathy? Tears were wasted on Landon-they’d only provoke his disdain.
