His Real Wedded Bride

Chapter 1402 Leverage

With Cassie's words, Sheryl was shocked and immediately opposed, "Oh, Cassie! Stop saying such

things! I am happy to talk to you. I feel so honored that you shared your problems with me. If you are

available, don't forget to see me, okay? It's dull to be bed-ridden without anyone around." As she was

talking to Cassie, Sheryl gave her a sincere look.

"Of course! That would be fun. I will come over as soon as I am free," Cassie promised, with a smile of

relief. After spilling out her inner words, Cassie felt like the heavy burden once on her heart was partly

removed.

But she was still subdued with distress once she reminisced her and Nick's memories. Feeling

hopeless, she could only weep in her heart and thought, 'How cruel Nick can be! With the miseries that

he left me, I am here, lamenting those remnants. Did I owe him something back during my previous

life? So I have to suffer like this to redeem myself from my previous sins?'

At the Dream Garden

Melissa and Leila went back side by side to Dream Garden, silent and both absent-minded. Upon

entering the door, Leila began to quiver in fright. She almost failed to support herself and rested her

body against the door as Leila's feet were getting into jelly. No matter how hard she tried to pull herself

upright, it was all in vain as she fell helplessly to the ground.

Beads of sweat glided over her forehead, and her face turned deathly pale. Keeping her head bowed,

she avoided Melissa's stare persistently. Fear encompassed her thoughts.

However, the stupidity and cowardice of Leila didn't escape from Melissa's eyes. Even though Melissa

couldn't see Leila's face clearly, the despise she felt was still tremendous as she turned a glare to her.

'How come I gave my trust to this foolish woman?' she thought irritatingly.

Feeling frenzied and lost, Leila didn't pay too much attention to Melissa's presence. Dealing with

Melissa's rage was trifling for her right now. At the moment, all she was thinking was the words she had

eavesdropped earlier outside Sheryl's ward.

'What should I do next? How can I get away from this mess?' Leila thought, as she was bewildered of

the unfavorable incidents happening to her. The overconfidence ruled Leila because Melissa was on

her side. Now that she discerned how Sheryl was skeptical about her all along, it would be possible for

Charles to be doubtful of her too. Sooner or later, Leila hated to accept, but Charles would eventually

find out the truth if he followed Sheryl's instinct. It was just a matter of time for Leila to taste her cursed

fate.

With her dreadfulness amplified, Leila began to regret her reckless decision. Even though punishments

would upend her by and by, she still attempted to deny her mistake and propelled the responsibilities to

Sheryl. While suppressing herself, she cursed in her mind, 'I hate you so much, Sheryl! This mayhem

could never appear to me if you avoided encroaching on my plan. I could never let you taste heaven.

You ruined everything that I'd plotted all along! Your innocent act was too witty. If I hit rock bottom, I'll

drag you down as well.'

However, her anger was replaced by anxiety as she thought, 'If Charles learns all of what I have done,

and if he knows the truth, will he address me as a wicked woman? What if he never forgives me and

loathes me instead? Or worse...No! I won't let myself end up in prison.'

To cease her thoughts from going further, Leila shook her head repeatedly. Compared to the poisonous

medicine's effect, the aftermath that she would go through would be worse. Penance would only be the

things she could think of if ever those things happened.

As she was too tensed, Leila began to bite her fingers instinctively. Engraved teeth marks became

visible as she gnawed them too hard. Along with the bites were the worsened quivering and hideous

frown creasing as she was dealing with a problem that seemed to be worse than death. Different mixed

emotions rose in her petrified mind, and the despair wavered her, making her lose her sanity to come

back to herself.

Witnessing Leila's overreaction and feebleness, Melissa went more frustrated with her. What she could

only do was cast Leila a scornful glance and roll her eyes in disappointment. Melissa knew her son

well. Based on how she perceived, Charles' decision was conclusive, and it would be impossible to

tame him. For Melissa, Charles wouldn't stop until he got the bottom of this havoc, so there would be

no use for Leila to be terrified or beg for mercy.

Nonetheless, the truth was still hiding in secrecy. It was an advantage for Leila that she overheard

Sheryl earlier. As long as Charles and Sheryl hadn't discovered everything yet, Leila could still react

and plan if she got caught.

With frustration, Melissa couldn't help but belittle Leila's forlorn expression. When she remembered

how Leila showed indifference to her kindness back then, she felt nothing but pure contempt.

As her head bumped on the wall, Melissa realized that her act of reaching out a hand to pull Leila up

was all in vain. Her good intention became a laughingstock as Leila completely ignored it. Clouded by

vengeance, Melissa pulled back her helping hand and turned her head away. At the sight of paralyzed

Leila sitting on the ground, she threw a smirk and an abhorrent snort. Being convinced, Melissa could

tell that Leila had lost her sanity and morale, admitting defeat.

Still, Melissa turned to look at her again, trying to be patient with her. She chastised, "Leila, to whom

are you showing your pity face?

You are too weak to take the pressure, and I am so disappointed about it! I even believed that you were

an omnipotent girl. It was a waste to relish you and even fancy you to be my son's wife. But now, I think

you are not worthy of my son!"

Realizing that her words might sound too harsh for Leila to swallow, Melissa stopped. Gradually, her

anger dissipated. She was only trying to put Leila back to herself. In her eyes, her own words meant no

harm or malice at all. As to how Melissa knew, Leila was even willing to kill to accomplish her desire.

However, Leila had a domineering stance toward other people. There would be no way for Leila's

immense pride to persist Melissa. To Melissa's most resentment, her failure was proof that she did not

deserve her son. With her claim, Melissa didn't acknowledge Leila's efforts and tough works anymore.

Leila's gloomy face turned into a long one. A whim of hatred began to surface on her look. She raised

her head all of a sudden and glared at Melissa, but still didn't utter a word.

'What did you, ignorant old hag, say? I look pity? And I am so weak?

Why don't you find a mirror and look into it? I think you are just a crazy woman! What a foolish thinking

you have!' Leila cursed inwardly with an angry look.

The more she thought of Melissa's words, the angrier she got. Before she was about to explode with

rage, she clenched her teeth tightly and turned her head away. She decided to give up retorting. She

thought it might be a better idea to leave Melissa alone and let her listen to her stupid complaints.

Seeing Leila was as silent and spiritless as a stone, Melissa gradually got bored and stopped whining.

But she knew Leila was hardly pretending to ignore her words, instead of getting truly deaf ears. At the

thought, Melissa couldn't help but disdain Leila even more. She sneered in her heart, 'Why am I even

speaking to her? Why don't I merely leave her alone, letting her deal with her own business? She is

such an ungrateful wretch! No matter how hard I try to cheer her up, it all will be in vain! Fine, so be it!'

Then Melissa turned around and headed to her bedroom, leaving Leila to stay on the ground. She

mocked again, in her mind, as her lips curved into a subtle smile, 'Well, now that she refused to take

my kind words seriously, I want to see what she is going to solve the oncoming problem and save

herself. I will wait and behold!'

As soon as Melissa departed, Leila's phone rang out, which interrupted her overwhelming thoughts.

Out of reflex, Leila took the phone out and was ready to answer the phone. But her temper got so bad,

and her voice would sound unusual, which she thought, might cause surmise. As she just intended to

puff it back into her pocket, the name on the screen wavered her determination. It was Benjamin's

calling. In an instant, the call lifted her declining hope. As her frowned face smoothened, she put on a

festive expression. Pulling herself upright, she carefully stood to her feet and ran into a corner to

answer his call.

"Hello, Benjamin. Did you find Shirley?"

Leila asked, hopeful.

"Of course! I made a lot of effort because it was a tough job. I've always desired to surpass your NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

expectations all along. I couldn't imagine how I managed to get that little girl! To locate her, I've spent

the best and last of my strength!" Benjamin spewed, trying to stress and brag his hard work.

The good news brought a surge of happiness to Leila. The gloom she felt subsided, and she even was

unable to contain the excitement inside her. After a long time, she felt that the massive stone on top of

her heart melted, and she finally could settle down. The viscid blue like a misty shadow surrounding her

heart had gone without a trace!

'For God's sake, I finally found Shirley! I have been under a lot of pressure recently. I was so afraid to

be jailed if anything serious truly happened to her. I almost made an unchangeable mistake, ' Leila

thought as she took a deep sigh of relief.

"Oh, you are so trustworthy, as I always know! That is why I turned to you for help! I feel so lucky to

have a friend like you! Thank you, Benjamin! You are the best!" Out of happiness, Leila complimented

him sincerely. Her full attention was all on Shirley. Inevitably, Benjamin was absorbed in Leila's sweet

words. He was flattered and kept giggling.

With all honesty, Leila couldn't wait to ask Benjamin to set up a spot for them to meet. Before sending

Shirley back, she wanted to check Shirley in person.

Once she put her hand to the door handle to get out, she suddenly recalled what Charles had said.

Now that she knew Charles had begun to doubt her, Leila thought her good impression on Charles

would no longer exist. Even if she brought Shirley back safely, she might still not win Charles' gratitude,

for he would find out she was the culprit behind the kidnapping. When Charles knew that it was Leila

who was after all of this, Leila would fail to maintain her image.

'Should I give Shirley back to Charles at this critical moment? What if…'

Leila fell into deep thoughts. Suddenly, a flash of flickering crossed her eyes.

'If I bring Shirley back and give her to Charles for free, I will gain nothing. Why don't I use her for

leverage? Maybe Shirley could be the reason for Charles to forgive me and my mistake! That will be

brilliant!' Leila smirked.