Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“I’m feeling much better now. I don’t need your help. Please leave. I need to rest.”
Calvert didn’t plan to leave, using Gracelyn as an excuse.
“I can’t leave. Mrs. White is particularly worried about your health. She told me to conduct a thorough check-up on you. You’re currently her top priority. How could I not be thorough?”
While his statement might have sounded routine for a doctor, the words, when spoken by him, carried a repulsive tone.
Leila felt nauseated by his presence. Her emotions churned with anger and helplessness.
After pondering for a moment, she suddenly waved at Calvert.
“You come over here,” Leila said, her words devoid of any suggestive tone.
But to Calvert, it sounded like a sensual invitation. He approached her quickly, a bright gleam of hope in his eyes.
“Leila…” He started to call her with a warm tone.
“You do like me, don’t you?”
Leila felt a wave of revulsion but managed to keep her composure. She exhaled slowly and deliberately said, “But we can’t be together.”
This made Calvert visibly tense.
“Why would you say that?”
Leila looked off into the distance in silence.
Calvert’s restlessness grew. He almost began circling her as if unable to stay still. With Leila’s continued silence, he was close to kneeling.
“Please, Leila, explain why we can’t be together.”
Seeing Calvert’s desperation, Leila finally said, “Alright, I never intended to reveal these thoughts to anyone. However, given the circumstances, it seems I have no one else to turn to. I might as well share them with you.”
Calvert’s eyes lit up with hope, assuming he had truly gained her affection.
Leila looked up at him and stated, “To be honest, I initially found you quite unlikable. You are married-why are you pursuing me?” Calvert’s expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a forced laugh.
“Leila, you don’t get it. Love doesn’t follow rules or morals. I love you. It was you who awakened this feeling in me. I’m merely following my heart. Is that so wrong?”
Leila watched as Calvert rationalized his troubling behavior as merely human nature. Her disgust grew, though she nodded superficially.
“Yes, I couldn’t understand that before. But now, I see it differently. After all, I might never escape this place, and there are no other men here, whether they be my former suitors or my husband. Gracelyn seems to be struggling mentally, and Florrie is antagonistic toward me. It appears you’re the only one I can turn to here.”
While Leila spoke, she feigned a sob. Tears dramatically hung from her eyelashes, pulling at Calvert’s heartstrings.
If her earlier words had made him cautious, suspecting she was merely putting on an act to lower his guard, her now tear-streaked face convinced him of his success in wooing her, lessening his suspicions.
After all, in Calvert’s mind, women were inherently reliant on men. So, despite Leila’s ever-changing attitude toward him, her reasoning now seemed perfectly logical.
Calvert reached out to pat Leila’s back and said tenderly, “Leila, trust me. As long as you agree to be with me, I’ll take good care of you.”
With tears still in her eyes, Leila looked up at Calvert with what appeared to be a glimmer of hope.
“Really?”
Calvert nodded with assurance.
“Absolutely. When have I ever deceived you?”
Leila sighed.
“But it still can’t happen. I have children and a husband. Once they realize I’m missing, it’ll only be a matter of time before they track down this place.”
Calvert’s gaze flickered, but he calmly responded, “Don’t worry. They won’t find this place, and even if they do, you don’t have to return with them.”
Leila breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, her acting instincts kicking in.
“Do you know that my husband values his public reputation and social status above all? If he learns what has become of me, he might even resent me enough to move our children overseas.”
She then let out a bitter laugh, her charade continuing.
“Although I’ve been with the Kensington family since childhood and grew up alongside my husband, everyone in our social circle knows he doesn’t truly love me. He never loved me. After we married, he became infatuated with another woman. Right now, he is engaged to his family doctor. He is probably hoping for a way out of our marriage and couldn’t wait for something bad to happen to me. Our relationship is always strained.”
Leila had chosen her words carefully, betting that Calvert might doubt her words and seek out the truth himself. Once he investigated, he would find out she hadn’t lied. The confirmation of even a single truth could potentially lend credence to her subsequent lies.
Sure enough, Calvert looked at Leila with an intrigued expression.
“I was under the impression your marriage was solid, though I’m not privy to the details. You know, Mrs. White is strange. There’s no internet access here and phones are not allowed either. I only get to verify things when I’m off.”
Leila bowed her head and said dismissively, “Believe it or not, that’s up to you.”
“I believe you, I really do,” Calvert quickly reassured Leila, scared of upsetting her.
“I definitely believe you.”
Seizing the moment, Leila continued, “My actual concern isn’t my husband but my lover. We’ve been close for years. We started as friends, but when my husband began his affairs, I couldn’t bear it and turned to my lover. Initially, it was liberating, but eventually, his overbearing nature became unbearable. He was excessively possessive, always needing to know where I was. He even had people follow me.”
That was why I fled to the cliff, hoping to find some peace for a few days. I never anticipated meeting you all. When Gracelyn proposed I stay, it seemed like a good escape. I thought this place would be beyond my lover’s reach. But now, I’m not so sure. He might send someone to capture me and imprison me forever. If that were to happen, I’d rather remain here.”
With that, Leila began to weep again, impressed by her own acting skills.
Calvert’s expression grew so tense that it looked as though he could split a nut between his brows. He was entirely unfamiliar with Leila’s past and was taken aback by her openness in sharing such personal details. She had not only confided in him but had done so without holding anything back. This left him deeply puzzled.
Calvert stared at Leila, his face etched with confusion. Finally, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is it really okay for you to tell me all this?”
Looking at Calvert with eyes full of mock expectation, Leila said, “Didn’t you say you love me? If you truly love someone, shouldn’t you accept all parts of them?”
Calvert was a chauvinist. Naturally, he couldn’t tolerate his woman being involved with another man. However, Leila’s seemingly open and honest demeanor caught him off guard for a moment.
Calvert made up his mind and began to justify the situation to himself. Leila was attractive and wealthy, so it seemed natural for her to be involved with another man. Plus, his interest in Leila wasn’t romantic.
He was more focused on her wealth. Her affair with another shouldn’t bother him much. Moreover, her willingness to share such personal details suggested some level of emotional connection. She must have some interest in him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t confide in him about such private matters.
Although he felt Leila was somewhat beneath him now, upon thinking it over, he decided he could endure the situation temporarily. Should it become unbearable, he reasoned, he could always punish her once he got what he wanted.
After comforting himself for some time, Calvert grudgingly came to terms with the situation, though his face grew noticeably sterner.
“Who is your lover?”
“His name is Clayton Morgan,” Leila answered candidly.
“He might be searching the whole world for me right now. I think you should let him know I’m here and that my heart belongs to someone else now.”
As Leila said this, she looked shyly at Calvert, her performance charmingly deceptive.
Her natural charm and that fleeting glance quickly washed away Calvert’s earlier displeasure and brought a smile to his face. Feeling more confident, he reached out to touch Leila’s face. When she didn’t draw back, his satisfaction grew.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Calvert responded carefully, rejecting her suggestion.
“I’m just a regular person. If I cross someone powerful, Mrs. White won’t back me up.”
Leila looked somewhat anxious.
“What are you scared of? Just relay my message to him. It’s only a few words, and it’s completely reasonable. Just don’t disclose where I am,” she instructed, seemingly fearful of Clayton finding her.