Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“That’s right. While they save people now for the sake of their grandson, they aren’t good-tempered. It’s crucial not to mention the Kensington name around them, or the consequences could be dire.”
Hearing this, a past incident flashed through Landon’s mind. A man from the White family, dead-set on opposing Landon, had indeed been defeated in a land competition with him, eventually committing suicide under the intense pressure of online condemnation.
Landon did take action, but he only turned over evidence of that man’s underhanded deeds to both the media and the police.
Landon was never known for his patience, and the repeated provocations from the young man of the White family had prompted him to fight back. Worse, the man didn’t stop there. He had crossed the line by trying to frame Landon for murder. If his plot had succeeded, all of Landon’s hard work over the years would have crumbled.
In the aftermath, the man’s empire collapsed. Bankruptcy and his crimes were exposed, leading to relentless cyberbullying. Unable to endure the humiliation of his imprisonment, he ultimately took his own life by jumping from a high building.
Landon felt no sympathy. In his view, history belonged to the victors. The man had chosen to challenge him in the cutthroat business world but lacked the fortitude to face the consequences of failure. He was undoubtedly not cut out for business dealings.
According to Landon, survival meant opportunity. Even in disgrace or imprisonment, as long as one lived, the chance for a comeback still existed. Until the very end, no one could definitively claim victory or defeat. Death, however, was the ultimate defeat. Later, Landon instructed someone to dig into the White family and learned they had once been prestigious, their lineage spanning centuries. But over generations, their influence waned, and their wealth dwindled. The young man’s desperation for success utterly drove him to set his sights on Landon, hoping to overthrow him and claim his position.
The young man had been the last of his line, with no siblings to share the family legacy. His parents had passed away, and with his demise, the White family’s lineage came to an end. At that time, Landon merely frowned at this finding, dismissing the thought without giving it further consideration.
Landon had set the matter aside until fate took an ironic turn. After being pushed off the cliff, he was miraculously rescued by members of the White family, likely the grandparents of the young man who had attempted to frame him.
Landon was overwhelmed by a swirl of emotions. It all made sense now, the peculiar feeling that had nagged at him since he woke up. The house where Landon was arranged to rest was steeped in history, its decor rich with the craftsmanship of another era. The White family likely sustained its status by relying on the vast fortunes amassed by their ancestors, carefully preserving their legacy throughout the years.
As Landon lay in bed, a caregiver approached.
“Sir?” she asked gently, noticing his distant expression.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Landon swiftly masked his emotions. He didn’t hold on to life out of fear, nor did he have any intention of deceiving anyone. He could openly confess to the White family that he was Landon Kensington, the man they despised so deeply.
However, Landon’s thoughts drifted to Leila and their three children. He knew, without a doubt, that Leila was anxiously awaiting his return. Someone had dressed like Leila to push him off the cliff, and Clayton might already be using this as blackmail against her. Landon knew he had to return quickly to protect his family.
With these thoughts anchoring him, Landon’s eyes sharpened with resolve. He cleared his throat and spoke calmly.
“Never mind. There are plenty of people in Burmoos with similar names. It would be too much trouble for you to investigate. I’ll take care of it once I fully recover.”
The caregiver nodded, though she glanced at Landon curiously.
After the caregiver departed, a doctor entered the room to check on Landon.
Soon, an elderly woman in a wheelchair arrived, her presence commanding the room with quiet authority. But when she saw Landon, her eyes flickered.
The doctor and the servants greeted her as “Mrs. White.”
Gracelyn waved at them and had herself wheeled to Landon’s bedside.
“What’s your name?” she asked.
Landon hesitated before replying, “Landon Collins. Thank you for rescuing me. Immediately after I recover, I’ll repay your kindness.”
Gracelyn’s expression shifted, growing more complex. She then sighed softly, her voice tinged with resignation.
“Indeed, you can’t be that man. That man… He would never have ended up in such a dire situation here. Well, focus on recovering first. We’ll talk later.” With that, Gracelyn motioned for her wheelchair to be moved, and she was wheeled away.
Landon breathed a sigh of relief. He felt fortunate to have overheard the servants’ conversation just moments ago. They were likely newcomers, still confused by the complex and rigid rules of the White family. Once Gracelyn was out of sight, the servants around started to murmur among themselves.
“Why can’t we use cell phones here? There’s no TV either. How are we supposed to live like this? It’s so boring.”
“Shh, lower your voice. There’s a reason for all of this.”
“I heard their only grandson was driven to suicide by cyberbullying. Before he jumped from the building, he destroyed every TV and cell phone in sight, vowing never to use any electronic devices again. But after one occasion where his curiosity got the better of him, overwhelmed by those harsh comments online, he couldn’t take it any longer, and that’s when he jumped from the building.”
“Oh my, that’s so tragic…”
Landon sighed, his heart heavy. He glanced out of the window, a sense of loneliness creeping over him. He longed to return to Leila’s side. Every time happiness seemed within reach, fate intervened. But no matter what, he would find his way back to Leila. All he wanted was to be with her and start anew. Nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, Leila stood amidst the search team at the foot of the mountain, and suddenly, a strange sensation gripped her. She lifted her gaze, her heart abruptly pounding with no explicit reason. A strange emotion stirred within her.
One of the search team sighed, “The chances of survival here are slim. This terrain is dangerous, and especially slippery with the rain. Plus, the wildlife too. Perhaps…”
Another quickly cut the recent speaker off.
“Miss Nixon is still here!”
Realizing his mistake, the first speaker turned to Leila and apologized, “I’m sorry, Miss Nixon. I didn’t mean any harm. I was just analyzing the situation, and it must be wrong.”
Leila didn’t get angry. She simply smiled faintly, her expression carrying a subtle sorrow.
“It’s fine. I understand. But despite the slim hope, I still want to try. I can’t give up just yet. All of you have put in a lot of effort today. Go get some rest, and I’ll keep searching with my people. They’re experts, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
The rescue team had been searching for almost six hours, and exhaustion weighed heavily on everyone. Appreciating Leila’s consideration, they thanked her and returned to rest. After all, everyone needed rest to recharge and have the energy to continue the search.
Once the search team left, Leila turned to her bodyguards. Though they were exhausted, everyone pushed through without complaint.
“You should rest too,” she said softly.
One of the bodyguards immediately protested, “We can’t leave you here alone.”
Leila reassured them, “I’ll be fine. There’s a signal here, and the rescue camp isn’t far. I just need some time alone for a bit. I won’t let anything happen to myself. Now go and get some rest. You guys take turns tomorrow so everyone can get a day off.”
The bodyguards were deeply moved by Leila’s consideration. Some of them had previously worked for Landon, which explained their eagerness to locate him soon. Yet, when Leila urged them repeatedly to grab some rest, they resisted, determined to push through their exhaustion.
Once alone, the smile on Leila’s face vanished.
The rainfall had ceased, but the mountain breeze was still piercingly cold, making Leila shudder. Still, she chose to stay.
Leila shut her eyes and offered a silent prayer.
Though she had always believed strictly in tangible reality, for Landon’s sake, she once visited a sacred site, a place shrouded in folklore, said to bestow fortune and ward off misfortune upon its visitors, to pray for his return. Today marked the second time she had resorted to mystical strength, hoping for divine intervention to bring Landon back. After spending roughly an hour in her earnest prayer, Leila got to her feet. She was on the verge of hypoglycemia but managed to hold on.
Guided by her gut feeling, she began heading west.
Although the area below the cliff appeared desolate, it wasn’t entirely devoid of human presence. Leila considered asking someone about the terrain below. If Landon had fallen into the river and gotten swept away, she wanted to at least find out where he might have ended up.
The biting cold almost numbed her hands and feet as she walked. Clamping her jaws together, she kept moving forward.
Unaware of how much time had passed, Leila was taken aback by the sight of a magnificent mansion before her. Apparently, whoever lived there was very wealthy.
Exhausted and unwilling to turn back, Leila decided to ask for some warm coffee and rest a while before continuing her quest. She was too anxious to rest until she found Landon.
Leila approached the gate and knocked. A servant quickly opened it and was puzzled by Leila’s disheveled appearance.
“Hello, may I help you?”
Through the gap of the door, Leila could see the interior decor. It radiated a timeless elegance and traditional charm. For her safety, Leila quickly texted her assistant her location, instructing them to alert the police if she failed to message again within ten minutes.
After briefly sharing her plight, the servant went to consult with the homeowner.
Shortly thereafter, someone came to lead Leila inside. She was taken to the living room and handed a steaming cup of coffee.
The first sip sent warmth coursing through her body. Her face no longer appeared as pale as before.
Upon finishing the coffee, Leila felt neither dizzy nor weak. It was clear the coffee was just coffee-there were no drugs in it. Her demeanor relaxed significantly.
Gratefully, Leila smiled at the servant next to her and said, “Thank you for the coffee. I have matters to attend to, so I’m taking my leave now.”
Leila refrained from asking any questions, deducing from the surroundings that the occupants were wealthy, likely from some prestigious family in Burmoos. If she stayed longer, she might be recognized. Plus, if she asked too many questions, others could easily deduce something had happened to Landon.
Leila was keen to keep Landon’s incident under wraps for now. She couldn’t afford to take any risks herself.
