Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Immediately after Gracelyn spoke, everyone began to eat.
Landon looked at the array of dishes spread out on the table, puzzled. Why did all these dishes happen to be Leila’s favorites? He chalked it up to mere coincidence. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for people to like similar foods.
Landon quickly shook off his suspicion. His thoughts instead turned to the person he had seen Florrie mistreating in a wheelchair the other day. That person definitely wasn’t Gracelyn and wasn’t present today. Landon doubted Florrie’s claim of punishing a disobedient servant. Surely, any worker who was unwell would be sent home to recuperate, not kept working in a wheelchair.
Landon speculated that perhaps another person, like himself, had fallen from the cliff and had been saved by the White family. The person was likely still recuperating under their care, with more severe injuries, which would explain the wheelchair.
Recently, Landon had been feeling a heaviness in his chest, which affected his appetite.
Lost in thought, Landon was brought back to the present by Gracelyn’s voice.
“Mr. Collins, you don’t seem like someone without a family or career. I never asked how you ended up here or why no one has come looking for you all this time.”
Gracelyn sounded casual, not even looking up at Landon. She appeared genuinely curious.
Cautiously, Landon delivered the story he had rehearsed.
“I haven’t married because I choose not to. I was here for a mountain climbing trip and accidentally fell. My parents are no longer alive, and it’s not unusual for me to disappear for several days when I’m climbing, so my friends wouldn’t think much of my absence.”
Landon’s explanation, upon closer inspection, contained some questionable points. However, Landon had mentally rehearsed this story so often that he presented it effortlessly. There were no telltale signs that he was lying. It seemed as though this truly was his story.
Gracelyn gave a slight nod, seemingly convinced, but she probed further.
“So, you’re not from the Collins family in Burmoos?”
Landon feigned confusion.
“Burmoos?”
Gracelyn smiled and shook her head.
“Never mind. You just carry yourself with a noble air, likely from a wealthy family.”
Landon responded smoothly, “Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born into wealth. Perhaps it’s just a common last name.”
Gracelyn detected nothing suspicious about Landon, so she waved her hand and said, “I need to get some rest now. Prioritize your recovery and leave once you’ve recovered. If you really want to show your gratitude, please pay your respects to my grandson. I do these acts of kindness in the hope that they help his soul find peace in heaven.”
Landon nodded, a wave of relief washing over him. At least he had passed this hurdle.
Florrie, observing Landon’s expression, felt conflicted. Could she have misjudged? Perhaps this man wasn’t the Landon Kensington she suspected. His confident responses to Gracelyn seemed genuine, and there were no signs of deceit.
Florrie’s earlier thoughts seemed to clear up any doubts she had. Moreover, Landon Kensington was well-known as the head of the Kensington family and CEO of the Kensington Group, with a fortune in the billions. If he had truly ended up here, the media would surely have covered it. However, it seemed too much of a coincidence that Leila ended up around this place at this time. Did everything really happen by chance?
Florrie couldn’t quite figure out what the truth was, but she remained cautious.
Purposefully, Florrie moved closer to Landon.
“Mr. Collins, you’re not the first one to recover here.”
Supported by Byron, Landon limped along. His expression shifted slightly, but his tone remained calm.
“It’s clear that Mrs. White has a golden heart and always helps those in need.”
Florrie laughed.
“Indeed. Mrs. White has recently taken in another person. Coincidentally, that person also got injured from climbing. It was quite serious, and she is still in a wheelchair. You two are in a similar condition. Maybe I should arrange for you two to meet. She’s quite a beauty. And who knows? You might know each other.” Florrie’s last sentence was a direct hint.
But Landon’s reaction went beyond her expectations. He declined the idea, saying, “Thanks for your offer, but I’d rather not meet her. I don’t really have a lot of friends. Whether I know her or not, I have no desire to meet her. Call me a geek if you wish. I just want to recover in peace and leave as soon as possible. I won’t be a burden much longer.”
Hearing Landon’s detached response, Florrie gritted her teeth slightly. She managed a forced smile as she watched him walk away.
Byron supported Landon as they walked a considerable distance. Byron felt compelled to ask, “Why did Florrie share that with you? It seems odd.” Landon’s eyes were unreadable, like a fog that never lifted, making it impossible to figure out his thoughts. He responded casually, “Who knows?”
A thought suddenly struck Byron.
“While you were eating, I spotted some servants in the dining room. The woman Florrie mentioned had been dining with Mrs. White. However, once she learned you were coming, she excused herself, claiming she wasn’t feeling well. Perhaps, like you, she prefers not to be disturbed.”
Landon’s brow furrowed. If they were strangers, the woman had no reason to intentionally avoid him.
The longer Landon mulled it over, the stronger his sense of unease grew. Could it be someone he knew? Could it be Leila? But that seemed farfetched. What would Leila be doing here? It was said that the woman, well-acquainted with Gracelyn, had an accident while climbing and was now recovering here.
This situation intrigued Landon deeply. He was eager to figure out who this woman was.
With this on his mind, Landon couldn’t resist looking over at Byron.
“Didn’t you say you caught a glimpse of that woman before? Could you tell me what she looked like?”
Byron, caught off guard by Landon’s sudden interest, replied with enthusiasm, “I thought you weren’t into gossip? Why are you suddenly curious?”
Landon’s brow furrowed slightly, but he remained polite.
“Would you mind describing her to me? It feels like such a strange coincidence. Perhaps I know her.”
Byron opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, looking at Landon apologetically.
“I’d like to help, but it’s been days. I can’t recall any details of her appearance except that she was gorgeous. But it’s a small place. You’re both still here recuperating. Chances are you might bump into her eventually.”
Landon pondered this and found it made sense. However, he knew that this situation needed to be handled delicately. Acting rashly could get him into trouble.
Landon assured Byron, “Let’s not dwell on it. Just a fleeting curiosity. I should focus on getting better.”
Byron agreed and dropped the subject.
Meanwhile, Leila retreated to her room, consumed by anxiety. She wondered how Landon was holding up. But at this moment, she couldn’t meet him. Worse, they lacked any means of communication. If Landon recognized her, it would complicate things for both of them and trap them here.
By this point, Leila was fairly certain of her hunch. After Landon fell from the cliff, the White family had taken him in. Gracelyn, wanting to maintain an esteemed image, had offered Landon temporary shelter. Gracelyn and Landon weren’t in cahoots. Leila was confident that once Landon was well enough to leave this place, both he and she would have the opportunity to escape. Her confidence in his ability to find her was unwavering.
However, Leila couldn’t shake off her unease. This place was remote, and Gracelyn was not in her right mind. Who knew when Gracelyn might turn against her? And Florrie certainly wouldn’t sit idly by. Her chances of escaping felt shaky.
Disturbed by these thoughts, Leila looked at the servants pacing in her room and said, “Please leave. I need some quiet time alone.” The servants complied without fuss. After all, Leila was trapped in a wheelchair, the drug still affecting her mobility. Leaving the room would be a challenge, let alone escaping the property.
Moreover, the absence of an internet connection meant that even if Leila had access to a phone, reaching out to the outside world was impossible. Leila’s room didn’t even have surveillance cameras. As the servants took their leave, determination sparked in Leila’s eyes. She maneuvered her wheelchair closer to the window, taking in the layout of the White family’s house.
It was a traditional courtyard house, reminiscent of ancient architecture, enhanced with modern elements. But fundamentally, it was a classic building surrounded by walls. Not even a bird could find its way out, much less a person.
Seeing this, Leila felt a wave of helplessness and frustration. But she remained resolute, unwilling to let her life waste away here. She envisioned a bright future for herself and longed to watch her children grow up. Now that she was missing, her children must be terribly anxious.
With this in mind, Leila took a deep breath, trying to stay composed and think strategically. She wanted to look further, but couldn’t stand. Her body instinctively tensed, and shockingly, she discovered something exciting. Her limbs could move slightly, and she could feel sensations in them.
Leila had overheard Gracelyn and Florrie’s conversation about how she had been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin, which would normally take a long time to leave her system.
While Leila was now able to speak, regaining full sensation in her limbs was expected to take at least a week. Yet now, she was already feeling sensations.
Leila suspected this early recovery might be attributed to her regular exercises in the past. Also, fearing the possibility of being poisoned, she had studied drugs extensively, which in turn had increased her tolerance.
But this was something only Leila knew, a secret she intended to keep to herself, hoping it might serve as an ace up her sleeve. With this thought, a smile flickered across Leila’s face.
Just then, the door suddenly swung open.
A rather unpleasant voice followed.
“I heard you’re unwell and was specifically asked to come check on you. Come on, tell me exactly what’s wrong with you.”
Calvert approached Leila, and she could feel his unsettling gaze sweeping over her. She turned to face him with a cold look.