Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Whoever it was, it wasn’t Landon.”
Calvin bristled.
“Why not? He had every reason to.”
Sophie didn’t argue. Instead, she asked, “Calvin, even though you say that, deep down, you know he wouldn’t resort to something so petty.”
Calvin remained silent. Indeed, if Landon had been behind it, the consequences would have been far more serious, not just some petty trick. Still, his anger simmered.
“Even if it wasn’t him, it doesn’t justify his innocence. Lacey might’ve been behind it, and Landon might not even know. But Landon’s given her too much power. That woman wouldn’t hesitate to hurt you if it suited her, even publicly.”
Sophie couldn’t deny the bitterness in her heart but chose not to dwell on it.
They sat in silence for a long moment.
After a while, Sophie said, “Let’s leave it for now. Even if we make a fuss, it’ll be pointless. After all, Landon will undoubtedly take Lacey’s side.”
Calvin sighed, recognizing the truth in Sophie’s words. Frustration laced his voice as he muttered, “I’m just too young now. I don’t know when I’ll finally be able to grow up.”
Sophie shifted uncomfortably, her exhaustion finally catching up with her.
“Calvin, I’m tired. I just want to rest.”
As they bid each other goodnight, Sophie lay in bed, staring at the moon. A wave of longing washed over her as she suddenly missed Leila. She couldn’t help but wonder what Leila and Elma were doing at that moment and if Elma had made it through the surgery successfully. A deep longing filled her heart as she missed them dearly, wishing with all her might that they could return soon.
In the hospital, Leila sat by Elma’s bedside, holding Elma’s small hand as worry etched lines across her face.
Turning to the doctor, Leila asked, “Is it normal for my daughter to be unconscious this long?”
The doctor offered a calming smile, his voice steady as he reassured her, “Don’t worry, ma’am. The anesthesia hasn’t worn off yet. It’s perfectly normal for her to remain unconscious at this stage. However, if she doesn’t wake up after twenty hours, there is a risk that she could fall into a vegetative state.”
Leila’s heart clenched at the thought. She wished she could take Elma’s pain upon herself.
ust then, Leila’s phone buzzed with a message. She glanced at the screen and saw an unknown number..
The message contained several photos, but Leila had no interest in them.
Curious but wary, she was about to block the sender when she received another message.
“While you were abroad, enjoying yourself, your daughter nearly drowned. If not for the bodyguard, she wouldn’t have made it.”
Leila’s heart skipped a beat. She opened the photos, her hands trembling. They were taken at the Kensington family’s house, where a crowd of people had gathered around. In the center was Sophie, drenched and shivering, seated on the ground. It was evident that she had just been pulled out of the lake. She appeared completely disheveled, her vulnerability laid bare for all to see.
Leila’s chest tightened. How could this have happened? Why had Sophie fallen into the lake? And what were Sophie and Calvin doing at the Kensington’ house?
Leila couldn’t help but wonder if Sophie and Calvin were at Lacey and Landon’s engagement party.
Leila stared at the photos on her phone, her thoughts spinning until a conclusion snapped into place. Her chest tightened with a wave of sadness.
Leila didn’t think Sophie or Calvin had done anything wrong. Deep down, she felt the blame lay squarely on her own shoulders. Had Sophie and Calvin attended the engagement party? Whatever their reasons, it was clear they had tried to shield her from embarrassment. Leila’s first instinct was to call them immediately. She needed to hear their voices and apologize.
Just as she reached for her phone, a faint noise broke the silence behind her. Her breath caught. She tilted her head, straining to hear.
The sound was soft but familiar-Elma’s voice.
“Mom. Mom…”
Leila spun around, her heart pounding. Relief and joy surged through her when she saw Elma’s eyes fluttering open. The surgery had been a success. Elma’s illness-finally, miraculously-had been treated.
Leila’s tears spilled freely as she clasped her daughter’s hand, her voice thick with emotion.
“I’m right here,” she murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from Elma’s face.
With a soft laugh that was more sob than sound, Leila added, “You’re amazing, Elma. You made it this time.”
Elma let out a faint hum, the pride in her expression unshaken despite her exhaustion. Yet, she looked so fragile. There was something heartbreakingly sweet about her delicate state, a mix of innocence and vulnerability.
Elma had only just woken up, and her strength was all but gone. Leila hurried to call the doctor, her voice calm but urgent, while gently urging Elma to rest.
But Elma shook her head, her voice soft and uneven.
“Mom, I had a nightmare. I’m scared I’ll forget it if I don’t tell you now.”
Seeing how determined Elma was, Leila sat back down and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Alright,” she said softly, listening.
“Take your time, sweetheart. There’s no rush.”
Elma took a shaky breath, her brows knitting together as though reliving the dream.
“Mom,” she began, her words tinged with worry.
“Can we go home soon? I need to see Calvin and Sophie. In my dream, bad people were hurting them while we weren’t there.”
Leila’s heart ached at the fear in her daughter’s voice. Elma had barely woken, yet she was pushing herself so hard to speak. Elma’s cheeks had turned pale, her energy waning with every word. It was sheer determination keeping her going..
Thankfully, the doctor arrived at just the right moment, stepping in to stabilize Elma’s condition.
“Ma’am,” the doctor said with a kind smile, “your daughter’s surgery went better than we could have hoped. With proper care, she’ll recover fully. She’ll be perfectly fine in no time.”
For the first time in what felt like ages, Leila felt a weight lift off her chest. The heavy worry that had haunted her finally began to ease. She let out a long, unsteady sigh, her relief almost overwhelming.
After speaking further with the doctor, Leila learned that Elma’s earliest discharge would be a week away. It wasn’t exactly the news she wanted to hear-being separated from Calvin and Sophie for that long made her head throb. Elma might have been her daughter, but Calvin and Sophie were also her children.
Leila wished she could sprout wings and fly home to check on Sophie’s situation. She knew Sophie and Calvin hadn’t reached out to her about their troubles because they were trying to spare her from worrying.
Slipping into a quiet corner, Leila dialed Sophie’s number.
The line rang for a moment before Sophie finally picked up.
Sophie’s voice sounded light and cheerful-almost too cheerful.
“Mom, what’s up? Did Elma’s surgery go well?”
Leila wanted to ask Sophie why she hadn’t said anything about what had happened. The words hovered on her tongue, but she held them back. Softening her tone, she said, “It’s nothing. I just miss you and Calvin. Elma’s surgery was a success. We’ll be back in about a week.”
Sophie’s relief was unmistakable, her joy spilling through the phone.
“That’s amazing! I’m so glad Elma’s getting better.”
Sophie’s voice grew warm with concern as she reminded Leila to take care of herself.
“The flu’s been going around lately, so be careful, okay?” Sophie added that since school had finished, she and Calvin were spending most of their time at home.
When the call ended, Leila lowered her phone, her expression shifting. Her eyes turned cold with determination. Without hesitation, she dialed Landon’s number next. She fully expected him to ignore her call-or worse, hang up the moment he saw her name. But to her surprise, he answered almost immediately.
“What do you want?” Landon drawled, his tone tinged with lazy indifference.
Just hearing his voice sent a spark of fury through Leila. Through clenched teeth, she said, “Landon Kensington, I know we have unresolved issues, but the kids are innocent. What did they do to deserve this?”
Landon had already guessed why Leila was calling the moment he picked up. Still, her sharp questioning unsettled him.
“So?” he said, his voice tinged with irritation.