Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Lacey had to stomach a wave of nausea while she waited for her chance. She was unprepared for Landon’s callous words to be the first she heard. To him, was she truly nothing? Not even valued as a friend?
Lacey’s mind was in turmoil. She was tempted to confront Landon immediately, questioning his harshness toward her. However, a profound sadness quickly subdued her initial urge. She couldn’t hold Landon responsible. It was she who had insisted on clinging to him. He had offered her a noble alternative, which she had rejected.
Reflecting on this deepened Lacey’s sorrow, and tears began to roll down her cheeks. The mountain air felt piercingly cold against her tear-streaked face.
Lacey stifled her sobs, bearing her anguish in silence, attributing her misery to Leila. She was baffled by the manipulations Leila might have used to prompt Landon to utter such harsh words.
Even now, deep within, Lacey still clung to a faint hope, speculating that perhaps Landon’s words were merely meant to appease Leila, believing they might not be heartfelt.
Still, despite her assumptions, Lacey was determined to follow through with the plot, regardless of the situation.
Lacey steadied herself, her expression turning determined and icy.
Meanwhile, the dialogue between Landon and Leila continued.
Leila subtly brought up the topic of their children. She didn’t pose direct inquiries about whether Landon had ever harmed the kids, instead choosing to circle around the subject with various questions.
Landon responded decisively each time, portraying himself as a devoted father.
Leila felt a sudden wave of melancholy wash over her, realizing that she might have been misled by Clayton once again.
Leila remained silent, and Landon assumed she was reluctant to believe him. His expression subtly shifted, though he kept his thoughts to himself. They sat in silence, disappointment briefly crossing Landon’s face.
At that moment, Leila broke the silence.
“I’ve asked all my questions. If there’s anything you want to ask, please do.”
A complex emotion passed through Landon’s eyes.
“May I ask anything-anything at all?” he inquired.
“Yes,” Leila affirmed.
She had braced herself for probing questions, but nothing had prepared her for his next words.
“Do you love me?”
Leila was stunned. Out of all possible questions, Landon had chosen this one.
Seeing his earnest expression, Leila couldn’t help but respond, “If I tell you that you can only ask me one question, would you still…?”
“I would still choose this question,” Landon answered, his eyes locked on hers.
“Do you love me? I need a clear answer. I need to know if I’ve ever held a place in your heart.”
Overwhelmed and with her heart pounding, Leila was cornered into telling the truth. Her gaze conveyed her turmoil. Closing her eyes and clenching her jaw, she confessed, “I must admit, I still love you.”
Landon, teetering on the edge of disappointment, felt a surge of elation at her words. His eyes widened, a mix of disbelief and joy overwhelming him. The most positive answer he had hoped for was that Leila admitted she once loved him. Unexpectedly, she confessed that her love still lingered.
“You’re not lying to me, are you?” Landon asked, his heart racing as he grasped Leila’s hand.
Leila shook her head.
“There’s no reason for me to lie about this. Besides, my feelings remained even during those days when I struggled with memory loss. I didn’t fall for you again. I never stopped loving you.”
Saying this, Leila felt ashamed and somewhat disappointed in herself. Despite her suspicions of Landon’s involvement in harming her children and his engagement to Lacey, her feelings for him persisted. She had considered it thoroughly-even though she still had feelings for Landon, a future together was impossible.
No longer swayed merely by emotions, Leila knew she had grown. Should Landon ever threaten her with her children, she would fiercely defend them without hesitation.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Landon felt immense joy, believing no further questions were necessary. He felt assured, having received the response he most desired. Convinced of her love, he assumed that past incidents were mere misunderstandings. A smile of rare joy crossed Landon’s face, lighting up his eyes.
Seeing Landon so genuinely happy for the first time in a long while, Leila’s emotions were ambivalent.
“You seem really happy.”
“I am. This is the happiest day I’ve had in a long time. Thank you for your honesty,” Landon responded, smiling warmly.
Leila felt a surge of warmth from his smile. She posed one last question.
“Landon, if you had to choose one day between your career and our children, what would your choice be?”
“Our children,” Landon replied decisively, showing that his commitment wasn’t superficial.
He then presented documents he had prepared long ago-important company papers and seals. Handing them to Leila, Landon declared earnestly, “As long as you agree, I’m ready to leave everything behind. The Kensington Group doesn’t matter-only you and our children do. We could appoint someone to manage the business, sell it, or you could oversee it yourself. I want to start anew with you and our children, far from here. If you choose not to leave everything, I’ll understand. Just know that you and the children are my priority.”
Leila was momentarily speechless from shock. Landon had entrusted everything to her just like this. Was he not worried that she might be deceiving him today?
Leila abruptly realized they had always been each other’s closest and most trusted confidants. Their estrangement had been influenced by others, not by their own feelings. Things shouldn’t have turned out this way. She should have been more trusting and patient with Landon. A heartfelt conversation like this was overdue. However, her pride had prevented her from compromising sooner.
“Landon…” Leila began, her eyes welling up as she held the documents. She tried to speak but instead issued a weak threat.
“If you’re lying to me, I’ll disappear forever.”
Landon looked alarmed at her words. He quickly embraced her, whispering earnestly, “Losing you would be worse than death.” This time, instead of pulling away, Leila returned his embrace. In their long-awaited hug, Leila tried to smile but ended up crying instead.
Landon gently let go and tenderly wiped her tears away with his fingers. He wiped her tears repeatedly.
At the sight of her flowing tears, Landon’s expression softened.
“Leila, I never intended to make you cry.”
Leila, giving him a half-serious look, responded, “It’s not all your fault. I share the blame, too.”
Landon immediately disagreed.
“No, no. It can’t be your fault. It’s all on me.”
Seeing Landon like this, Leila felt dazed. No one would have expected the proud and noble Landon to become so yielding for love.
Lacey, who was secretly watching, was shocked to see Landon like this. She couldn’t quite articulate her feelings and felt an intense heartache. Lacey had observed Landon and Leila’s strong connection, but she had never witnessed Landon so subdued. So, Landon was not always the dominant figure he appeared to be. For Leila, he was prepared to lower himself. His heart had room only for Leila. No one else stood a chance.
Lacey’s heart sank further, having believed Landon and Leila would focus on their grievance and eventually realize the true nature of Lacey and Clayton after noting the inconsistency. Yet, they didn’t.
Leila and Landon seemed to have made everything clear with their limited questions about confirming each other’s feelings. Their understanding didn’t need explicit questions. It lived in the quiet spaces between them. For them, knowing the other’s love remained unwavering was more than enough. Their connection defied barriers, a testament to the invincibility of their love. No scheme or force seemed capable of pulling them apart.
Lacey, watching from the shadows, felt her bitterness grow, her gaze hardening with venom. Could such love truly weather every storm? She refused to believe it. If manipulation couldn’t tear them apart, then perhaps death might.
What began as hesitation had festered into full-blown resolve. Seeing their unshakable devotion only fueled Lacey’s rage, snuffing out every last shred of reason.
Disgrace no longer mattered to Lacey. Only vengeance remained. Though once hesitant to carry out her plot with Clayton, she now eagerly waited for the right moment to proceed.
The moment of reckoning Clayton and Lacey had plotted finally dawned.
As per Clayton and Lacey’s plot, Leila’s phone buzzed at this point. Whatever the caller said made Leila’s expression immediately turn serious. Without a word, Leila stepped away, phone in hand, leaving Landon behind.
Landon, however, wasn’t troubled by this, as he was still in a good mood, elated by the revelation that Leila never stopped loving him. Even as Leila disappeared from sight, a faint smile still played on his lips. The mountain air was crisp, and though it wasn’t summer, the view stretched in vivid, serene beauty.
Landon inhaled deeply, savoring the moment. The day’s reconciliation with Leila filled him with an almost childlike joy. Spreading his arms, he tilted his head back, letting the fresh air wrap around him. Then, out of nowhere, Landon felt it-a push. The force wasn’t overwhelming, but it caught him entirely off guard.
As Landon stumbled forward, momentum carried him dangerously close to the edge.
Below lay nothing but the gaping abyss of the cliff.
Landon’s eyes widened, his breath hitching as he fought to steady himself. In a desperate moment, he managed to glance back, hoping for clarity. But the scene blurred in his panic-he only caught a flash of red fabric, eerily like the hem of Leila’s dress.