Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
“Oh my goodness, she seems so sweet and lovely, yet her intentions are so cruel.”
“Yeah! She somehow convinced Landon to marry her, apparently with Roderick pulling the strings behind the scenes, pressuring Landon into agreement!”
“Her story was all over the web, and then, just like that, nothing. It must be her lover’s work.”
“Now, here she is at Miss Simpson’s gathering, likely trying to fix her tarnished image. Yet, Simpson never invited her. She is even clutching a counterfeit invite. How humiliating.”
Mocking whispers swirled around the room, all sounding exceedingly harsh and unwelcome.
Leila’s complexion whitened a shade, and she clenched her fists.
Leila analyzed the situation, trying to pinpoint what had gone wrong. Three invitations arrived together, and Hazel was the first to sort them out. It wasn’t like Hazel would purposely hand her a fake invitation, especially since Hazel couldn’t distinguish the genuine from the false.
It pointed to only one conclusion: all invitations were fake. No matter which one Hazel passed to her, embarrassment was inevitable today.
But several questions arose. How did Sarah manage to walk in so effortlessly? Could the previous knowledge of the fake invitation be the reason Landon stayed away? It seemed both Landon and Sarah had known the truth for some time but kept silent about it.
Leila could grasp part of the situation. Sarah’s intentions were obvious-embarrassing her on purpose. But Landon? What was he implying?
Leila feared to ponder any deeper.
Leila regained her composure and quickly typed a message on her phone to show to the waiter, clarifying that the invitation was indeed from Miss Simpson and that there might have been a mix-up.
The waiter’s mocking laughter intensified, filling the room with disdain. “So, what are you saying? That Miss Simpson had someone send a fake invitation just to mess with you?”
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.
“That’s not possible. Miss Simpson is the kindest soul. She wouldn’t stoop to such methods, even if she disliked someone,” one guest commented.
“Seems like she’s trying to pin her own slip-ups on others,” another added with a dismissive click of the tongue.
A chill ran through Leila’s limbs. It dawned on her that she might have been set up. Was Miss Simpson behind this? She couldn’t fathom why. She had no known quarrels with Miss Simpson.
“What is happening here?” a crisp, authoritative voice sliced through the murmurs, capturing the room’s attention instantly.
Leila turned around to see a figure making her way forward gracefully.
The woman was dressed in a light blue gown that radiated sophistication and an air of authority. Her expression was neutral, her eyes carrying a hint of iciness.
This had to be Miss Simpson, Rachel Simpson.
Rachel scanned the room until her eyes landed on Leila, irritation clear in her gaze. Immediately, someone stepped forward to clarify the situation.
As the explanation unfolded, Rachel’s expression grew stern. She approached Leila, her stance somewhat confrontational. “Miss, I’ll be honest. Recent incidents involving you have really put me off. I find you quite annoying. But that doesn’t mean I’d stoop to this level. Please, be more vigilant and stop pointing fingers at everyone else.”
Leila stood frozen, her words trapped in her throat, eager to make Rachel understand. She swiftly typed down her reply on her phone. “Miss Simpson, I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but I’ve never accused you. I think we’re just tangled in a misunderstanding, and I’d really like to sort it out with you.”
“That’s enough!” Rachel snapped, her attention briefly shifting to the waiter standing by. “Guests are guests, and though she wasn’t invited, we have no right to turn her away. Please, bring her inside.”
Feeling utterly defeated, Leila clenched her fists. She despised how voiceless she felt, robbed of even a chance to defend herself.
The waiter gave Leila a dismissive look and rolled his eyes.
Leila shook her head, opting not to enter. Lacking an invitation, entering would be blatantly inappropriate.
Rachel misread Leila’s actions, her look turning scornful. “What now? Throwing a fit?” she asked mockingly. “Expecting an apology from me? Don’t look so pitiful. It makes people think I’m picking on you.”
Leila, overwhelmed, shook her head vigorously, too distressed to type out a response, and switched to sign language. She gestured that she wasn’t pointing fingers and simply wanted to clear up any misunderstanding.
A sneer came from the crowd. “Can anyone even understand her gestures? Is she insulting Miss Simpson?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. She has a mean streak. Miss Simpson is being too gracious, even letting her in. I would’ve thrown her out myself.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Simpson, we all saw what happened. We’re your witnesses. You haven’t done anything wrong. If she’s upset, that’s her problem, not yours.”
At that moment, Leila’s realization hit hard. Prejudice was a massive, unyielding force in people’s minds. Though the online chatter had ceased, what did it matter? Their perception of her was already set in stone. Changing it was impossible.
Leila emitted a soft sigh, her eyes slightly reddening as she struggled to suppress any signs of emotion.
Rachel caught the subtleties of Leila’s expression. Her look softened. “Let’s just forget about it. Today’s the happiest day of my life, and I won’t let anything ruin it. Whether she decides to come in or not, that’s up to her.”
Despite Rachel’s words, the scorn still lingered in her gaze.
The palpable disdain and disgust from everyone felt like a vast ocean, engulfing Leila, who stood isolated at its center. She seemed trapped on a desolate island, escape an impossible dream.
At that moment, a familiar figure walked over, cutting through the tension.
Hayden approached with a warm smile, positioning himself behind Leila.
“Hayden.” Rachel’s eyes sparkled. “I didn’t expect you to show up!”
Hayden had typed down his response on his phone. “Your grandfather and I were old schoolmates. Seeing you’ve grown up and are throwing a birthday bash, I couldn’t miss it.”
Hayden exchanged pleasantries with Rachel for a moment. Then his gaze shifted to Leila standing beside him. He gestured toward his phone, his defense for Leila evident in his messages. “I noticed from a distance that there seemed to be some tension between you two. Although Leila can’t speak and is usually reserved, she’s genuinely a good person. Perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Rachel’s smile dimmed slightly. She didn’t outwardly counter Hayden’s opinions. “You hardly ever give compliments. If you think highly of her, she must have redeeming qualities. Maybe there was indeed a mix-up! But let’s put that aside for now. Hayden, please get inside. My grandfather is eager to see you. He’s been looking forward to catching up.”
Hayden nodded with enthusiasm and turned to Leila, inviting her to come in with him.
With Hayden standing up for Leila, no one dared to say anything anymore.
Leila’s eyes were tinged with redness as she followed Hayden inside. Once they were alone, she quickly typed a message. “I appreciate it, but you shouldn’t have defended me like that. It might have turned against you. What if they started pointing fingers at you instead?”
Hayden smiled warmly at Leila. His response was simple and genuine on his phone. “At this stage in my life, I don’t worry about reputation or fame. They are just superficial. You’re my apprentice, learning from me. It’s my duty to defend you in times of need.”
Leila felt a tickle in her nose, tears threatening to spill over. She typed down her response, “Thank you for believing in me.”
Hayden let out a gentle sigh and shared through texts, “Rachel is a good girl. She might have heard too many rumors about you and holds some resentment, but it’s okay. Spend some time with her, and she’ll come to see your true character.”
Leila nodded in agreement.
A thought then struck Hayden. His following texts revealed something significant. “She once wanted to learn antique restoration under me, but I declined. I simply told her I already had an apprentice.”
Leila furrowed her brow in confusion. She hadn’t known Rachel well, but she could sense that Rachel was well-educated. Wouldn’t Rachel’s depth of knowledge be an asset in such a specialized field?
But Hayden shook his head, his expression enigmatic. He then offered his wisdom. “Just because someone seems right for the job doesn’t mean they are. Rachel’s too hasty, and no amount of skill can compensate for that. In our profession, we prize patience and meticulous attention to detail, qualities you embody, unaffected by distractions.”
Leila blushed slightly, her fingers typing down her shy response. “I’m flattered.”
Two onlookers observed the exchange between Hayden and Leila from afar. Rachel’s face betrayed complex emotions-annoyance mingled with hints of reluctance and distress.
Just then, Sarah approached and gently patted Rachel’s shoulder, her voice soft and soothing. “Leila is quite the schemer, isn’t she? She excels at deception. Everyone who interacts with her seems to fall for her tricks. No matter the situation, if it involves her, she somehow remains the blameless one.”
As Sarah spoke, tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “Look at this scar on my face. It’s permanent. But what choice do I have? She forced my parents to give in by threatening to harm herself, and she wouldn’t leave Landon alone. They had to shield her, act as though nothing was wrong.”
Rachel’s anger flared upon hearing this. “I knew she was manipulative, but I never imagined she could go to such extremes.”
A sly smile flickered across Sarah’s face, quickly hidden. “There’s nothing we could do. She plays the mute, the victim. In this world, it often seems the most pitiful garner the most sympathy.”
Rachel glanced at Sarah. “Don’t worry, I won’t let her get away with this. I have no patience for women like her.”
Sarah’s words continued to stoke Rachel’s anger.
“I remember you once wanted to learn from Hayden. I couldn’t fathom why he turned you down until I found out later that it was all Leila’s doing. She…”