Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Landon’s face softened slightly at the mention of Leila, but his eyes still held an unreadable emotion.
“You want to play matchmaker? Do you even know me? You might not be aware that some creditors have come after me recently, but they backed off when they realized this was the White family’s house. They wouldn’t dare cross them. Miss Nixon comes from a wealthy family. If you’re trying to pair me up with her, there must be something else you’re after.”
Florrie was stunned by Landon’s bluntness, momentarily unsure how to respond. Grinding her teeth in frustration, she said, “Just answer me. Are you going to take this opportunity or not?”
Landon let out a sly chuckle.
“Of course, I’ll take it. Who would pass up the chance to turn their life around? With her, I’d never worry about money again.”
Leila, hidden away, found Landon’s flippant fa?ade amusing. But she tried hard to stifle her laughter and continued to watch the drama unfold.
“But,” Landon suddenly changed the subject, looking at Florrie sharply.
“You know I’m not exactly a catch. There’s a huge gap between Leila and me. If you’re trying to get us together, it can’t just be out of kindness. I need to understand your true intentions, or I’m not playing along.”
Florrie wasn’t surprised by Landon’s skepticism. She would have questioned his intentions if he had readily agreed without probing further.
Florrie took a deep breath and confessed, “Yes, I have my reasons. I just can’t stand to see Leila living so well.”
Her eyes turned sorrowful and resentful.
“She has seduced my husband and wrecked my family. With Mrs. White’s support, she was untouchable, and I couldn’t do anything to her. The only thing I could think of was to distract her somehow. But I’m not taking advantage of you. After all, being with her benefits you, right?”
Landon regarded Florrie with a complex look. He believed her story. The desperation and fury in her eyes seemed too real to be faked. She would kill Leila if she could.
What troubled Landon was that Florrie’s husband was an unattractive man, nearly fifty. It was unlikely that Leila had actually seduced him. Did Florrie and her husband never have any doubts? Did they have such confidence in themselves? Did they really think Leila would be attracted to someone like that?
From her cramped spot inside the wardrobe, Leila watched Landon’s torn expression through the narrow slits. The absurdity of the situation almost overwhelmed her, and she had to bite her lip to stifle her laughter..
“Alright.” Landon set aside his reservations and asked with interest, “Now that I’m in the loop, what’s the news you wanted to tell me?”
Brightening up, Florrie exclaimed, “I’ll have everything ready for you! I’ll arrange a place for your date with Leila tonight. You know, she doesn’t seem to be too interested in you, but you can charm her with your looks. Throw in a few charming compliments to cheer her up, and maybe you both might click.”
Landon was stunned, and so was Leila, who was hiding in the wardrobe. Neither of them had expected this.
Leila thought for a moment and realized why Florrie had deliberately spoken those words to her. It seemed that Florrie wanted to lure her out to meet Landon. But she suspected there was more to Florrie’s plan, likely anticipating that their meeting would be seen by someone. But who was Florrie planning this for? Gracelyn? That seemed unlikely, as Gracelyn seeing them wouldn’t really matter. Plus, Florrie was unaware of the true relationship between her and Landon.
Leila soon understood everything and couldn’t help but smile. Florrie likely orchestrated all of this so that Calvert could see them together. It seemed like Florrie was still bothered by Calvert’s disloyalty.
In fact, this scenario could work to Leila’s advantage. If everything went according to Florrie’s plan, Calvert might back off for quite some time.
After Florrie shared her plans, Landon dismissed her.
Florrie grew frustrated with Landon’s distant demeanor, but there was nothing she could do. She could only hope Landon would show up as planned, and that her efforts wouldn’t be in vain.
As soon as the door shut, Leila stepped out of the closet. She looked at Landon, who remained quiet, wondering if he was upset.
Leila moved closer and wrapped her arms around him from behind.
“Do you really believe Florrie’s words, and now refuse to talk to me?”
Landon turned his head at the sound of Leila’s voice, his expression calm, not a trace of anger on his face. His eyes shone with warmth and affection.
“How could I? I’m sure you wouldn’t choose anyone over me.”
Leila burst into laughter, reached out to touch Landon’s face, and teased, “You are pretty confident.”
Landon arched an eyebrow slightly, tightened his hold on Leila, and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Florrie just gave me an idea.”
Leila’s curiosity piqued.
“What idea?”
Landon seemed to relish the suspense he was creating and didn’t reply immediately. Seeing Leila’s growing impatience, he finally said, “She told me to use my looks to win you over. Sounds like a solid idea. Once I manage to captivate your heart with my looks, you won’t consider anyone else.” As Landon spoke, he drew even closer to Leila.
Looking at Landon’s chiseled face, Leila found herself momentarily lost for words. He was indeed handsome. With his well-defined eyebrows and deep-set eyes, his features were striking. He was meticulously crafted by the creator. Over the years, his face had not aged but had developed a refined, mature charm.
Feeling her heart flutter, Leila masked her emotions with a light cough.
“Well, you’ll need to put in some effort. You know, in my position, I’ve met many attractive men, many of whom are more handsome than you.” At her words, Landon adopted a sad expression. His slightly moist eyes reminded Leila of a puppy, tugging at her heartstrings and making it difficult to continue her teasing.
Eventually, Leila succumbed. After all, Landon’s charm was irresistible. Plus, he was her type. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have adored him so deeply from such a young age. Reflecting on this made Leila feel somber and too weary to continue their banter..
“There’s still so much to deal with tonight. I need to rest now,” she said, somewhat tiredly.
With that, Leila moved to leave, but Landon held her hand.
“Rest here with me.”
Leila’s eyes widened in disbelief, almost questioning his sanity.
“If I stay here and someone catches us, what then? Don’t worry about my safety on my way back. The balcony is connected, and nobody will be passing by at this hour. I won’t get caught.”
Landon didn’t release her and smiled mysteriously.
“Relax, I’ll make sure your servants don’t find out. You know I take these things seriously.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Leila agreed. Landon was indeed not one to act without thinking. And if she didn’t agree, Landon would persist. She was truly exhausted and needed rest.
Once Leila nodded, Landon lifted her and carried her to the bed. He drew her into his arms and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Noticing Leila’s gaze fixed on him, Landon quickly reassured her, “I promise, I won’t do anything. And I’ll surely take you to your room.”
Leila couldn’t hold back her laughter. She wrapped her arms around Landon’s neck and leaned in to kiss him.
Landon was taken aback for a moment but soon responded by pulling her closer and deepening their kiss.
Their kiss grew passionate, and warmth spread through Landon’s body.
Suddenly, Leila found herself underneath him and tensed up. She tried to pull away, but Landon held on tightly.
Only when Leila became breathless and tears welled up in her eyes did Landon finally release her.
Leila lay there, her eyes watery and her lips swollen from the kiss. She shot him a look.
Landon cleared his throat and softened his voice, trying to soothe her.
“It’s all my fault. I got carried away. It won’t happen again. You should sleep. If you don’t sleep soon, I’m not sure I can keep myself in check.”
Upon hearing Landon’s words, Leila quickly shut her eyes, nestled comfortably in his arms, and drifted off to sleep.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she was abruptly awakened by a servant, leaving her momentarily disoriented. Fortunately, she managed to gather herself quickly without saying something foolish.
Leila questioned coldly, “Wasn’t it obvious I was sleeping? Why are you bothering me?”
The servant who had disturbed her quickly responded, “Please forgive me, Miss Nixon. You had been asleep for quite some time, and I worried something might be wrong, so I came to check on you.”
Hearing this, Leila said icily, “What now? Am I no different from a cripple? Are you still afraid that I’ll climb out the window and run away?”
Realizing Leila was genuinely upset, the servant lowered her gaze and remained silent, not daring to say another word.
Leila remained puzzled about how Landon had managed to send her back to her room so seamlessly. Regardless of her unanswered questions, she knew she’d have to wait until their next encounter to get any answers.
A wave of drowsiness washed over Leila, and she languidly lifted her head, noticing the servant’s anxious demeanor and the clear indication that she had something to say.
“Why the rush?” Leila inquired.