Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Nonetheless, Landon sensed something was amiss in her expression.
Leila managed to convey through her gestures, asking whether he had given Sarah the key to the guest room. She argued that Sarah had no right to invade her space like this.
Landon paused, his expression shifting to something darker. “What are you implying? What has she done?”
Leila struggled to hold back her tears. She reached for her phone, about to show Landon the torn clothes scattered on the floor, but stopped herself.
Her gestures grew sharp with anger, practically yelling, “Just tell me, did you give Sarah the key? I may be just a foster daughter in your family, not holding any special place in your heart, but don’t I deserve basic respect? This humiliation is unnecessary.”
Landon must be aware that Sarah’s request for the key to Leila’s room was not well-intentioned.
Leila could almost see it: Sarah likely hanging on Landon’s arm, her words honeyed as she coaxed the key from him.
Landon, swayed by her sweetness, handed it over without considering the consequences for Leila.
Landon’s grip tightened on his phone, the veins in his arms standing out. Leila’s withholding of the specifics of the incident and accusing him directly struck a nerve..
The line remained silent, and Leila assumed Landon had nothing left to say.
Leila drew in a deep breath, trying to suppress the bitterness and resentment that surged up her throat. If this was the reality of their relationship, she had no reason to expect anything from Landon anymore.
With a final click, Leila ended the call.
Determined not to succumb to despair, Leila focused on finding a solution. Despite not being responsible for the torn clothes, she racked her brain for a way to fix them. She had made a promise to Rachel, and she was committed to honoring it. A promise was a promise, after all.
Meanwhile, Landon stared at the screen of his now silent phone, his expression darkening.
He walked back to the lounge where Sarah’s parents were seated, their faces etched with panic and nervousness. They rose as soon as they noticed him approaching.
Willard spoke up, treading carefully, “Landon, what Sarah did was completely out of line. However, she acted out of deep love for you. Now, she’s really not doing well. The doctor mentioned her mental health is fragile, and she needs our support.”
“Support?” Landon’s response was laced with sarcasm as he crossed his legs. His smile grew more mocking, his gaze turning icy and sharp. “And what, exactly, do you propose I do to ‘support’ her?”
Willard and Amara shared a look of tentative hope.
Amara cleared her throat, preparing to speak, “Actually, this is all just a big misunderstanding. Leila might feel wronged, but that doesn’t justify her humiliating Sarah in front of everyone. How about Leila visits the hospital, offers her apologies to Sarah, and we put this entire ordeal behind us? What do you think?”
Seeing that Landon’s expression was calm, Willard grew bolder. “Yes, Landon, we have great respect for you. We know you genuinely care about Sarah. Our families are about to become relatives through marriage, so there’s no reason to let someone who isn’t part of our family disrupt our peace.”
“Exactly,” Amara chimed in.
“Someone who isn’t part of our family? Disrupt our peace?” Landon’s smile disappeared in an instant.
Landon stood, his stature becoming more commanding. His gaze turned icy as he fixed it on Willard and Amara. “From the beginning, I was certain Leila hadn’t pushed Sarah. I hurried to the hospital to check on Sarah’s condition myself, only to ensure that later, no one could blame any inexplicable injuries on Leila.”
Willard’s smile stiffened. “What are you implying?”
“I’m not sure why you assumed I was on your side this time. My mother might be enthusiastic, but she acts independently, and so do I. I didn’t come after you because I feared trouble for Leila. She’s on her own, and I knew you’d go after her if given the chance. But what I didn’t expect was your audacity to actually do it. Do you think I’m someone you can just push around?”
“No, that’s not what we meant at all,” Willard’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Willard had never really delved into Landon and Sarah’s relationship. All he knew was that Landon seemed to have grown weary of Leila, the mute girl.
Ever since Sarah’s accident, Landon had been a frequent visitor at the hospital. Moreover, Shirley always seemed caring when visiting Sarah, reminding her to look after herself.
It was only natural for the Millers to see Sarah as Landon’s future wife.
But upon closer inspection, something seemed amiss.
Landon mostly maintained a grim expression. Beyond his initial inquiries about Sarah’s health with the doctor, he never engaged in further conversation.
When Sarah regained consciousness, Landon’s first question was whether she recalled the specifics of the incident.
Looking back, it was clear Landon wasn’t genuinely concerned for Sarah. His thoughts were on Leila all along. It was just that none of the Millers had realized it.
Amara’s eyes darted around, and she immediately began to wail. “But Sarah really cares about you. She likes you a lot and has done so much for you.”
Landon didn’t respond. He walked over to Willard, grabbed him by the collar, and jerked it violently.
Despite the age gap, the chilling stare in Landon’s eyes sent a shiver down Willard’s spine.
Landon’s gaze was frosty. “You know exactly what needs to be done. Monitor Sarah and make sure she behaves. If she crosses Leila again, just imagine what I’ll do. And those online rumors, they need to end now, or it’s you who’ll suffer the consequences.”
Willard couldn’t bring himself to object, merely nodding repeatedly in agreement.
Landon, reassured by Willard’s compliance, released his grip on the collar and departed with a grimace, a storm of frustration brewing within him without any escape.
Once Landon had exited, the others in the room quickly followed suit, and the stifling tension dissolved instantly.
Amara, overwhelmed, covered her face and wept. “What are we going to do now? Does Sarah have no chance of marrying Landon after this?”
Willard, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation, couldn’t contain his frustration at Amara’s tears. “Enough with the foolish talk,” he snapped. “Landon and Leila ending things is inevitable. Remember, Leila was once the foster daughter of the Kensington family, and she and Landon have a history. This time, Sarah went too far. She should have been honest with us. I believed she had merely tripped and pinned it on Leila, but it turns out she tried to push Leila and instead fell herself. It’s no wonder Landon is livid. Instead of crying, you should be advising Sarah. For now, she needs to steer clear of Landon and Leila’s problems. They’ll part ways sooner or later. When Landon settles down, he might reconsider his feelings for Sarah. They’ve been entangled for years. It’s hard to believe he feels nothing for her.”
Amara relayed Willard’s words to Sarah, who, overwhelmed by emotion, began hurling objects around the room in a fit of rage. “Wait? How much longer must I wait? If this continues, Landon will have no room for me in his heart!”
Sarah’s reaction caught Amara off guard.
“Sarah, what are you doing?” Amara exclaimed, her hand pressed against her chest in disapproval. “Landon clearly cares about you. He wouldn’t treat you so differently if he didn’t. He’s just upset because you crossed a line this time. If you anger him again, you might lose any chance with him.”
Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes as she teetered on the edge of hysteria. “No, it’s not like that at all.”
Sarah finally realized Landon’s so-called affections for her were just for show, meant to evoke Leila’s jealousy.
Realizing the gravity of her situation, Sarah knew that relinquishing her efforts now would mean losing Landon forever. Her thoughts darkened. Eliminating Leila seemed the only solution. Leila had to go! Once Leila was no longer in the picture, Landon would have no reason to push her away.
Sarah muttered, her voice quivering as she clutched Amara’s hand.
“You’ll help, right?” Sarah’s voice was soft, almost a whisper.
Amara’s head throbbed as she gazed at Sarah. Sarah was her daughter, after all. Pity welled up inside her.
“Of course, I’ll help you,” Amara reassured Sarah, her voice gentle. “For now, just try to rest. I’ll handle anyone who gets in your way.”
Comforted by Amara’s words, Sarah’s lips curled into a faint smile before she quietly drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, Leila surveyed the chaotic scene around her, feeling daunted. This repair was going to be a challenge.
Just then, her phone vibrated, displaying a message from Rachel that included two photos of her mother donning two elegant dresses.
Despite the photos’ aged quality, Rachel’s mother’s grace and beauty were undeniable.
The more Leila reflected on the task at hand, the more resolved she grew. She was going to restore the clothes to their former glory.
After pondering her next steps, Leila devised a plan. She would start by collecting all the scattered pieces of clothing. Then, she planned to scour a few vintage clothing stores for missing elements.
Many vintage store garments came with signs of wear and tear.
Leila lacked experience in mending clothes, but she thought seeking assistance was worth a shot.
Reality, however, proved harsh.
Most shops rejected Leila’s request, which she could somewhat understand. Perhaps mending was their niche expertise.
A few ridiculed Leila for her inability to speak, but Leila opted to overlook their scorn. Engaging with such individuals only exacerbated the situation.