Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Clayton stared at the man, who appeared to be in his fifties, with confusion.
The man was smiling, yet he didn’t request anything. Instead, his eyes gleamed with self-satisfaction and disdain as he looked at Clayton. Clayton felt uncomfortable under such scrutiny and immediately asked coldly, “Who the hell are you?”
Calvert pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a slow drag before casually sizing Clayton up.
“Relax, I’m just here to deliver a message. I have a few things to say to you.”
Clayton quickly voiced his guess, “Is it from Landon?”
Clayton couldn’t help but sneer.
“Tell Landon I’ll keep searching for Leila. He can’t hide her forever.”
The mention of Leila’s name was enough to make Calvert uncomfortable. In his mind, Leila belonged to him, and no one except him had the right to speak of her in such an intimate manner.
Impatiently, Calvert replied, “I’m not doing this for that Landon you’re talking about. I’m here to deliver a message from Leila.”
“Leila?” Clayton’s eyes brightened at the mention of her name. He stepped forward, grabbing Calvert’s wrist in a vice-like grip.
“Where is she? Tell me now, or I swear you’ll regret it.”
Calvert frowned, his expression filled with disdain.
“She’s gone abroad. She asked me to inform you not to bother her anymore. Even if you tie me up, it won’t change a thing. She doesn’t want to see you, so stop wasting your time thinking about it.”
Clayton stared at Calvert, his mind racing.
“Abroad? Why would she leave? That doesn’t make sense.”
Calvert recalled Leila’s words and relayed them to Clayton.
“She has found her true love and is happy with him. Therefore, she wants to move forward, leaving her past behind. She has asked that you and her children no longer interfere with her life.”
Honestly, Leila hadn’t mentioned anything about the children, but Calvert thought it important to bring them up, adding weight to his message. He had no intention of letting Leila’s children become an obstacle when he married her and assumed control of the Nixon Group’s legacy.
Clayton’s anger dissipated instantly as he sensed something. His gaze turned cold, as if he could see through Calvert’s words and intentions, reading something more between the lines.
“Did Leila actually say that, or are you just fabricating it?”
Annoyed, Calvert pulled out his phone.
“Check this out. It’s her new place. She brought me… No. She brought that man home. Doesn’t it prove her love for him? You should give up because she’s in love with another man. I won’t tell you where she is. If you have any problems with that, come at me.”
Calvert’s confidence stemmed from Leila’s assurance that he had nothing to worry about, as she stood by him.
Clayton stared at the image, silent and lost in thought.
Calvert smirked, tucking his phone away and turning to leave.
As Clayton watched Calvert’s smug figure disappear, he snapped back to reality and quickly dialed his assistant.
“Follow this guy closely. If we don’t have any leads on Leila in three days, abduct him. I’m sure he knows where she is.”
After ending the call, Clayton sent Calvert’s photo to his assistant.
Clayton had sensed something amiss in Calvert’s words. While it was probable Leila had truly fallen in love with another person and left everyone behind in Burmoos to start over abroad, she would never abandon her children since she valued them the most. Therefore, it could be deduced that Calvert’s words were nothing but lies.
Moreover, judging from Calvert’s smug confidence, it was clear the man he spoke of was himself. This notion seemed far-fetched, as Leila would never fall for someone like him.
Only two scenarios remained. Either Calvert had imprisoned Leila, or someone else had captured her, prompting Leila to fool Calvert into saying those words to Clayton as a signal for help.
Clayton’s mood shifted abruptly, a spark of excitement igniting within him. A hopeful glint appeared in his eyes as he muttered to himself, “Leila, why did you come to me for help in such a subtle way? Could it be… Do you have feelings for me? Have you forgiven me?”
The idea took root in Clayton’s mind, growing more and more believable with each passing moment. A smile stretched across his face. It had to be the case. Leila could have asked that man to relay those words to one of Landon’s men. Yet, among all those she could have turned to, she chose him. It was an evident sign of her feelings toward him.
This delusional deduction lifted Clayton’s spirits. He jumped into his car, started the engine, and prepared to leave. Before pulling away, he glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror, his voice filled with determination.
“Leila, don’t worry. I’m coming for you. Just wait.”
Meanwhile, Leila suddenly snapped awake from a disturbing dream. She’d been trapped in a nightmare.
In her dream, Landon had come alone to rescue her. However, because of her limited mobility, they were discovered by the White family’s guards, who aimed for Landon’s life.
In her horrifying dream, Leila had watched, powerless, as Gracelyn, a cruel glint in her eyes, pushed Landon off a tall building and hissed, “Landon, my grandson couldn’t handle the blow and jumped. Now it’s your turn to feel the same!”
Leila watched in horror as Landon plummeted, his cries of her name echoing in her ears, before she woke up from the nightmare with a gasp.
Her back was soaked in sweat, and she struggled to catch her breath. She wanted to get out of bed and get some water. She could take a few steps on her own now, a secret she carefully guarded.
Just as Leila was about to throw back the covers, she stopped, suddenly still. In the darkness, she felt someone watching her. She hadn’t noticed it earlier, still groggy from sleep.
Leila subtly tightened her grip on the blanket, trying to appear calm, and let out a few coughs. Then, she called out to the servants who were supposed to be outside her door, “Is anyone there? I need some water.”
The servants assumed Leila was still affected by the drug, her limbs numb, which led them to believe there was no need to stay guard in her room. They chose to sleep on the sofa outside, just in case she needed anything during the night.
Before any of the servants came in, Leila heard a familiar voice.
“Don’t bother. I am here for you.”
The lights flicked on, and Leila saw Gracelyn standing by her bed. Even though Leila had mentally prepared herself, seeing Gracelyn’s wrinkled face in the light still made her uneasy.
Leila portrayed her shock convincingly, a hint of fear in her eyes but no real unease. It was only natural for anyone to be startled to find someone standing silently by their bed in the middle of the night. Leila’s voice trembled slightly as she asked, “Gracelyn, what are you doing here?”
Gracelyn’s face, previously clouded over, brightened into a smile at the sound of Leila’s voice.
“I heard you’ve been plagued by nightmares and struggling to sleep, so I came to check on you. Another bad dream tonight, I presume?”
Gracelyn rose from her wheelchair and, as she spoke, extended a cup of water to Leila.
Leila accepted the cup without hesitation, aware that any pause would raise Gracelyn’s suspicion.
Gracelyn’s smile returned as she gently patted Leila’s head with her aged hand, the gesture belying the chilling words that followed.
“You called out a name just now, Landon, your husband, perhaps? I’m aware of your history with the Kensington family, and I won’t be upset. Just tell me the truth.”
Leila’s grip on the cup tightened as she battled her rising unease and panic. She forced her voice to remain calm and even.
“Yes, it was Landon’s name I called.”
Gracelyn’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of mild curiosity.
“Why? Is it because you still harbor deep feelings for him?”
Suddenly, tears streamed down Leila’s face, large drops falling onto the back of her hands. She shook her head, an expression of what appeared to be utter misery etched on her face.
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
Gracelyn looked perplexed but remained silent, her gaze fixed on Leila. Leila silently praised her own acting prowess. Her sobs grew more pronounced, as if she were finally releasing a torrent of pent-up emotions.
“Gracelyn, you don’t understand. Marrying him is the biggest regret of my life.”
Through Leila’s tearful narrative, Gracelyn learned of Landon and Sarah’s history.
Leila stuck to the facts, though she embellished certain details. But if Gracelyn chose to investigate, the truth would easily be uncovered.