Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“I honestly can’t understand why Landon would be interested in her.”
“Maybe he’s just seeking drama since everything in his life is too smooth.”
Even though they were distant from Lacey, she could still faintly hear the mocking voices. Her eyes welled up with humiliation. Looking at the open car door, she couldn’t help but lash out.
“Leave me alone! I told you I don’t need a ride.”
Lacey’s sudden outburst caught the driver and the bodyguards off guard, leaving them stunned. But since she insisted, none of them dared to drive her back. One by one, they all left.
Lacey couldn’t control her emotions any longer. She bowed her head, and tears began to stream down her face. She couldn’t understand why, no matter what she did, she always became the target of mockery.
Just then, a car pulled up in front of her.
Without lifting her head, Lacey snapped, “I already told you to leave me alone! Don’t you understand what I’m saying?”
The window rolled down, revealing Clayton.
“Oh, what’s going on? You look like you’ve been wronged. But let me remind you, if you keep crying here, you’ll only embarrass yourself even more.”
Landon was a magnet for attention, with paparazzi thriving on capturing his every move. Besides, Lacey had become the biggest blemish in Landon’s life.
Sure enough, when Lacey looked up, she instantly spotted a photographer not far away, secretly snapping photos of her. Grinding her teeth, she climbed into Clayton’s car without a word.
Once inside, Lacey wiped her tears and sat stiffly, her dignity firmly in place.
“Thank you for the ride, but let me be clear and remind you of one thing. I’m Landon’s woman now. Whatever conflicts we have are between us. I won’t be of any help to you.”
Clayton smirked, clearly entertained by her defiance.
“I think you’ve misunderstood. From the start, our cooperation has been about me helping you. You think now that you’ve gotten what you wanted and become Landon’s woman, you can turn your back on me?”
Lacey shot back, a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice, “I just don’t want to take any more risks. I want to live a simple life now.”
Clayton found it even more amusing, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“If I hadn’t shown up just now, you’d have been plastered all over tomorrow’s headlines. We both know Landon wouldn’t lift a finger to defend you, and your reputation would only continue to deteriorate. I know very well that Landon didn’t get engaged to you out of love. Once he decides you’re more trouble than you’re worth, he’ll leave you without a second thought.”
“That’s not true!” Lacey snapped, her voice trembling.
“If he didn’t care about me, why did he throw an engagement party to announce the news?”
Clayton didn’t waste his time arguing with her. He asked, “If he cared, why did he leave you behind tonight? He didn’t even arrange for anyone to pick you up. Face it. You’re not family to him.”
Lacey was genuinely provoked, her composure slipping as frustration boiled over.
“What can I do? I was framed for what happened with Sophie! Do you really think I’d do something so vile?”
Clayton shrugged.
“So, are you going to keep refusing my help?”
Lacey clenched her fists, the edges of her palms biting into her skin. The pain was sharp enough to snap her out of her haze, bringing a moment of clarity.
“I know working with you comes at a price. Last time, I nearly lost my life. So, what is it you want this time?”
Clayton hit the brakes and turned to her, his gaze piercing.
“Relax. I don’t want your life, nor am I interested in you. I’m not the devil who expects a price for helping you, Lacey. I want a partnership, a win-win situation. I help you, and you help me. I won’t pressure you. It’s up to you whether you choose to do it.”
Clayton lowered the car window, the cool night air instantly filling the car as he sparked a cigarette.
Lacey was a whirlwind of emotions. Her eyes darted toward the window, her pupils narrowing as she took in the sight before her. With an air of indifference, Clayton had pulled up right in front of the imposing gates of the Kensington estate. The security guards’ post was a mere hundred meters from where they were parked, their presence a stark reminder of the risk they were taking. They could easily be spotted. If they lingered any longer, the guards would undoubtedly investigate, and her identity would be exposed.
Lacey’s voice quivered with anxiety.
“We need to move. This is too risky. We’re sitting ducks here.”
A chilling laugh escaped Clayton’s lips.
“What’s the difference? Discovered or not, do you honestly believe Landon would treat you any better if he remained ignorant of our cooperation?”
Clayton continued his relentless taunting.
“Remember when you nearly kicked the bucket trying to convince Landon you had nothing to do with me? We even manipulated him into believing Leila and I were thick as thieves. And what was the outcome? Landon’s still head over heels for Leila. Landon doesn’t give a damn about betrayal or loyalty. It all boils down to whether he loves you, and he doesn’t. Even if he found out about us now, he wouldn’t bat an eyelid.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Lacey spat, deeply offended. It wasn’t Landon’s lack of affection that stung. It was the realization that all her scheming had amounted to nothing.
Clayton observed Lacey’s outburst with an amused detachment, a plume of smoke escaping his lips. His piercing gaze held a hint of mockery, intensifying his already icy demeanor.
Lacey drew a deep breath, steeling her resolve.
“Fine. We’re in this together. I need your help, and you need mine. What’s the next move?”.
A smirk played on Clayton’s lips.
“Precisely why I sought you out. You might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, and your tactics lack finesse, but you have a knack for making the right decision when it matters. I appreciate that in a partner.”
He passed Lacey a slip of paper with an address scrawled on it.
A wave of dread washed over Lacey as she read the address. Clayton’s next instructions confirmed her worst fears, and she instantly regretted her hasty agreement.
“Do we really have to go down this road?” she asked through clenched teeth.
“Isn’t there another way?”
Clayton said nothing, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
Lacey understood the silent message loud and clear.
“Fine,” she muttered, her eyes hardening with determination.
Lacey pushed open the car door and stepped out just as a security guard approached, his suspicion piqued. Noticing Clayton’s car preparing to leave, several guards hurried toward it.
Lacey’s brow furrowed in annoyance, and she turned to intercept them.
“He’s just a friend,” she explained.
“He happened to see me and offered me a lift.”
One of the guards stated formally, “Ms. Payne, we must follow protocol. Given that he brought you here and remained at the entrance for an extended period, we are obligated to ascertain his intentions. Mr. Kensington has given strict orders that all visitors are to be vetted.”
Lacey’s eyes ignited with fury.
“Are you seriously questioning my every acquaintance, or is this just a thinly veiled excuse to undermine my trust? I told you, he’s my friend. Do I need to spell it out for you? If you insist on grilling my friend like a criminal, I’ll call Landon myself and confirm whether I’m subject to such ridiculous rules.”
Without missing a beat, Lacey snatched her phone and punched in Landon’s number.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado fading.
Lacey succinctly relayed the standoff at the gate. To their surprise, Landon responded with an air of indifference, “If he’s your friend, there’s no need for an interrogation. I’ll inform the guards. Unless there’s something else, I’ll be ending this call now.”
And with that, Landon abruptly ended the call.
The guards, overhearing Landon’s dismissive tone, instantly shifted to a more deferential stance, even altering their form of address.