Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Leo caught on to Landon’s intentions right away. He replied, “Understood, Mr. Kensington.”
But Leo recognized Landon’s stubbornness for what it truly was-a mask for his care for Leila. It didn’t matter if Landon openly acknowledged it or not. Anyway, Leo understood the truth of the matter. Who knew how things would eventually turn out between Leila and Landon?
Leo sighed inwardly.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Leo, Landon discreetly pulled out his phone.
Landon hadn’t saved Leila’s number. However, he remembered the digits easily. He hovered over the messaging screen for a long time, his thumb hesitant above the keys. After a few moments, he typed, “How are you? Are the kids okay?”
But he thought it over and quickly deleted the message, feeling it wasn’t appropriate. He stared at the screen again, thought briefly, and typed, “I heard the incident happened at the Nixon Group property. Is that true?”
Once more, doubt crept in, and he erased it. Eventually, he forced himself to look away from the screen. He desperately wanted to know if Leila was safe. But deep down, he suspected she was probably annoyed with him. Maybe she would even see him reaching out as an unwelcome intrusion.
Reluctantly, he put the phone down, resolving not to embarrass himself further.
Meanwhile, at the Kensington family’s residence, Lacey was fixated on her screen. Her fingers moved quickly as she scrolled through news sites, immediately clicking on the latest coverage about the explosion at the retreat.
She hit refresh repeatedly, hoping for new updates in the comments section, but only saw people discussing the explosion. No one mentioned if it was intentional or if there was any evidence.
Frustrated, Lacey kept refreshing, logging in and out, hoping new comments would pop up.
She even followed the Nixon Group’s official account using an anonymous profile. She was anxious to hear about the progress of the explosion investigation.
Two hours passed, but there was no mention of suspects or any indication of foul play.
Finally, Lacey exhaled, a wave of relief washing over her.
But as she lifted her gaze, her reflection caught her eye in the mirror. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the raw fear in her own eyes. Her skin had gone pale, and cold sweat clung to her forehead.
The incident had truly shaken her to the core. For the first time, she felt an intense fear grip her. After all, the explosion was connected to her. Clayton had disguised her and given her a package to carry inside. He had told her someone would contact her once she was inside the retreat. Her only task was to deliver the package.
Lacey didn’t know what was inside the package, only that it was heavy. But Clayton had made it clear: the package was meant to harm someone, and the targets were Brysen and Sophie.
Lacey thought she had done it discreetly. She had simply helped bring something in. She told herself it wouldn’t be a big deal even if the truth came to light. But she hadn’t expected it to escalate like this. Now, many people had been killed, not just two.
Lacey felt like she was suffocating. Her hands trembled as she grabbed a fistful of her hair and bent her head low. Her eyes were wide with shock. She couldn’t erase the horrifying images from her mind-the thought that those innocent people had died because of her. The guilt only intensified her fear and panic.
Over and over, she muttered to herself, “It wasn’t me. I didn’t know it would turn out like this. It’s not my fault.”
A sharp, urgent knock on the door jolted her out of her daze.
Startled, Lacey caught her breath and shook off the vivid, haunting images. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to stand and opened the door.
The butler stood on the other side. His brow furrowed as he took in her disheveled appearance. He asked, “Are you okay, Miss Payne?”
Normally, Lacey would have bristled at being called Miss Payne. She insisted on being addressed as Mrs. Kensington, especially since she was about to marry into the Kensington family.
But today, it seemed Lacey was unaware of it all. She even appeared much more good-tempered, though a bit distracted. Lowering her gaze to avoid the butler’s probing stare, she replied, “I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.”
The butler eyed her suspiciously but said nothing more on the matter. He cleared his throat and delivered his message.
“Mr. Kensington would like to see you. Are you available right now?”
“Right now?” Lacey’s head snapped up at the mention of Landon’s name.
Her voice rose higher than she intended, panic flashing in her eyes.
Quickly shaking her head, she stammered, “No. I am not… No, not now. Just tell him I’m not feeling well.”
The butler could clearly sense something was wrong.
“Miss Rayne, you assured me you were fine not long ago. Why the change? Are you hiding something you shouldn’t be?”
Lacey froze as if she had been caught in the act. She snapped, “It’s none of your business! You have no right to interfere in my affairs.”
The butler smirked coldly and…
“That’s right. It’s none of my business. However, Mr. Kensington didn’t ask for your opinion. He simply informed me that he wanted to see you. If you would rather not be escorted by the bodyguards, I suggest you go to him yourself.”
Lacey’s legs threatened to give way beneath her. Her mind raced with endless possibilities. For a fleeting moment, she even considered running.
Landon had been buried in his work at the company lately. It was already a challenge to catch a glimpse of him, let alone have him ask to meet her now. However, he abruptly demanded to see her at this delicate moment, which naturally caused Lacey to overthink.
Lacey clenched her jaw and reluctantly agreed. After all, she knew Landon well. If he had discovered something, he wouldn’t have let it slide. He would have dug deeper and certainly wouldn’t have asked to meet her if he suspected her involvement. Maybe she was just reading too much into it. Even though Lacey reassured herself, a wave of unease lingered. Her tightly clenched hands trembled ever so slightly.
Ever watchful, the butler picked up on Lacey’s unusual demeanor. His instincts told him something was wrong.
After watching Lacey step into the study, the butler quickly summoned a passing servant.
“Go check if Lacey left the house today. If she did, find out when and with whom she met.” The servant nodded and hurried off.
With her heart pounding like a drum, Lacey stepped into the study.
Landon stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, hands in his pockets. His tall figure, silhouetted against the light, exuded an indescribable loneliness.
Explore fresh tales at g aln ov el s ; com
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Lacey asked cautiously, “Mr. Kensington, what did you want to see me about?”
Landon turned at the sound of her voice. His dark eyes locked onto hers, steady and unwavering.
There was no hint of emotion in his gaze. He didn’t appear angry, but the weight of his stare sent a shiver down Lacey’s spine. Her hands clenched tighter, and she fought to maintain her usual composure.
“Come here,” Landon said to Lacey.
Lacey hesitated for a heartbeat before slowly making her way toward him. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her legs felt as if they might give out beneath her.
Landon gestured to a chair, silently inviting her to sit.
Without preamble, Landon asked, “Do you really have such a strong dislike for my three children?”
The simplicity of the question made Lacey’s mind spin. She couldn’t process the words; her thoughts tangled in panic. She blurted out without thinking, “I dislike them, but I wouldn’t try to kill them!” The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead as she scrambled to explain, “Mr. Kensington, that’s not what I meant. I really have no such thoughts. Yes, I don’t like them, but it’s because they don’t respect me. You’ve seen how they repeatedly provoked me.”
Landon raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable.
“Do you really not want to kill them?”
Lacey was on the brink of breaking down. Her body was slick with sweat, and her voice quivered as she spoke.
“I don’t. I wouldn’t dare. Moreover, I’m about to marry you. I would never do something like that.”
Landon studied her for a moment and then let out a chuckle.
“You certainly have the look of someone who lacks the guts to do so.”
Lacey couldn’t take it anymore. The emotional weight was crushing her. It felt like a dam about to burst, and hiding the truth for even another second seemed impossible.
Lacey shot to her feet, her voice trembling but resolute.
“Mr. Kensington, if you don’t trust me, I’ll stay home during this time. I won’t go anywhere.”
Landon blinked, caught off guard. Her reaction wasn’t what he had anticipated. In the past, he might have seized the chance to keep her sidelined without hesitation, but things were different now. That option no longer served his purposes. He needed Lacey to accompany him to social events. Her presence was still a strategic advantage.
His response was measured, almost detached.