Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Landon made a clicking sound with his tongue. “You know, after thinking about it, I realize it wasn’t entirely your fault. Leila might have overreacted. She could’ve settled the matter privately with you, but instead, she escalated it, putting me in a bad spot.”
Sarah’s spirits lifted, and she sulked. “You can say that again! It’s like she did it just to make me look like the bad guy, always playing the victim. I was the one who ended up hurt. She received all the sympathy. If only I had known, I might have pushed her instead.”
The more Sarah vented, the more agitated she became until she caught Landon’s pointed look.
Sarah quickly clamped her lips shut and, with a look of distress, apologized, “Sorry, Landon, I shouldn’t have said that.”
Landon smiled icily, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol, enhancing the charm of his grin. He gently caressed Sarah’s cheek with his hand. “You’re right. It was definitely Leila’s fault. Are you free tonight? I’d love to grab some drinks with you.”
Sarah’s face brightened with excitement, and she nodded vigorously. “I’m free! Where do you want to go? Here? The company has so many people around. Wouldn’t that be awkward?”
Her cheeks flushed as she spoke.
Landon’s eyes shifted from Sarah to Edgar. “Reserve a table for us. In thirty minutes, take Sarah there.”
Edgar nodded, giving Sarah a complex look before he left, which Sarah decided to ignore.
Bravely, Sarah latched onto Landon’s arm. “Landon, if we end up drinking too much, are you planning to go back tonight? Edgar mentioned you’ve been exhausted lately. You could stay at my place for a couple of days. I’ll cook for you.”
Landon’s smile remained, but a cold spark flickered in his eyes.
Leila was plagued by nightmares and struggled to find rest.
Her sleeplessness was evident, prompting the doctor to suggest melatonin to ease her anxiety.
However, gripped by fear, Leila assumed those pills were abortion drugs and adamantly refused them.
In a state of panic, Leila forced everyone out of her hospital room.
Wary of provoking Leila further, the medical staff withdrew in silent confusion.
Alone, Leila retreated to a corner of her bed, seeking refuge under her blanket, where she felt a semblance of safety.
Cradling her belly, she longed to whisper kind words to her unborn child but realized she couldn’t speak.
Tears gathered in her eyes as she pondered whether her baby could understand her thoughts.
Drifting between wakefulness and sleep, she began to doze off.
At that moment, the door creaked open.
Landon walked in, the smell of alcohol clinging to him, his steps uncertain. He stopped, steadied himself with a chair, and sat a short distance from the bed.
Though the room was dark, the light from the hallway and the moon through the window allowed him to see Leila’s face distinctly.
Leila appeared even thinner and wearier than before. Even in her sleep, her cheeks were marked with tears.
Landon parted his lips, aching to speak, but the words eluded him.
He hadn’t foreseen Leila’s refusal.
The doctor had informed Landon that she was not adhering to her medication.
All Landon knew was that she was unwell.
Initially, his anger had prevented him from visiting her. However, his concerns for her eventually drove him to inquire about her condition.
The primary doctor’s responses were vague, sometimes claiming she was alright, or other times suggesting that she preferred not to communicate with anyone, and the medical staff had to honor her wishes.
The primary doctor reassured Landon that these were trivial issues. Leila’s physical health was stable, but her spirits were low, and she resisted cooperation.
This only fueled Landon’s anger, pushing him to immerse himself deeper in his work to avoid thinking about Leila still being confined to the hospital.
The solution was quite simple. If Leila would approach him as she once did, pleading, Landon believed his fury would dissolve.
But Leila wouldn’t resort to such measures now. She resembled a bird craving liberty, frantically seeking to flee from the confines Landon had imposed.
Doubts occasionally clouded Landon’s mind. Did she truly despise him to such an extent?
Landon was unable to make sense of his thoughts, and the more he pondered, the more bewildering his feelings became. His chest tightened, a confluence of soreness and irritation swelling within him. He harbored a destructive urge, craving tranquility amidst the chaos.
In the enveloping darkness, Landon sighed, massaging his throbbing forehead and feeling a sharp pang of pain.
His gaze fixed on Leila, and he could no longer contain himself. Rising abruptly, he strode to her bedside.
Gripping Leila’s chin, Landon lost all restraint. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss laced with the bitterness of alcohol. Leila, still ensnared in sleep, stirred slightly in her slumber but did not awaken, ultimately yielding to the kiss without resistance.
Initially harsh and filled with spite, Landon’s kiss gradually softened.
Releasing her chin, Landon resolved to offer her another opportunity if she chose to be truthful upon waking.
Landon studied Leila with intensity and then turned away, exiting the room.
As the night deepened, Leila was tormented by another nightmare. She dreamt of herself bound and immobile.
In her nightmare, the door creaked open, and a doctor approached steadily with familiar surgical tools in hand. He inched closer with a scalpel poised.
Then, someone else entered. It was Landon, his expression cold and emotionless.
Leila dropped her gaze, silently pleading with him. She could do nothing but strain her throat and manage to utter his name, hoping for some mercy.
Landon merely smirked and coldly instructed the doctor, “She’s making too much noise. Just slit her throat.”
As the scalpel neared her skin, Leila bolted upright from her nightmare. Her heart thudded loudly, resonating through the pitch-black silence around her.
Tension gripped her body, and before she could settle her nerves, a soft sound caught her attention.
In the dead of night, every whisper seemed magnified.
Fear propelled her heart into her throat.
Leila scanned the room and pinpointed the noise. It was coming from the window.
She cast a wary glance at the door, relieved that no one outside seemed to have heard the disturbance.
Stealthily, Leila opened the window and peered down to discover several people gathered below.
She wasn’t very high up, just on the third floor.
She immediately recognized one of the figures. It was Brent.
Her surprise was evident as she clapped a hand over her mouth. Hadn’t she messaged Brent, telling him she didn’t need him to whisk her away? Yet, here he was.
The commotion she had heard earlier must have been Brent trying to catch her attention.
Assuming Leila hadn’t noticed him, Brent continued to wave, eventually pointing at his phone.
Getting the hint, Leila swiftly pulled out her own device and sent him a text. “Mr. Hayes, really, there’s no need for you to come and whisk me away. It’s an unnecessary trouble for you.”
Leila’s concern for Brent was genuine. She was well aware of Landon’s temperament. If he found out, he would surely try to cause trouble. By then, explaining the situation wouldn’t mitigate the potential damage.
Brent’s reply showed his worry. “I can see you’re not alright. Whatever it is, it’s held you back for too long. We can’t let this continue. I’m here to take you out today, Leila. Don’t worry about it. Consider me a brother figure. Remember, you helped me before. If my grandpa found out you were struggling and I did nothing, he’d be disappointed.”
Seeing Brent’s genuine care between the lines, Leila couldn’t help but tear up. She could tell he truly considered her part of his family. She hadn’t felt such support in such a long time that it stirred a mix of emotions within her.