When I Was a Wallflower (Leo and Amelie) novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Amelie woke up with a start, startled. For a moment, she thought she was still at the Alston Residence and Leo had come back in the middle of the night, kicking the door again.

She hastily got out of bed, almost tripping and falling.

When she ran to the door and saw Steven there, she finally remembered that she had left the Alston Residence, and she no longer had to open the door for Leo.

As Amelie was rubbing her eyes, Steven had already opened the door.

From outside the door, a messy head poked in.

Amelie was surprised at first, but when she took a closer look, she realized that it was Abby.

Abby strode in jovially, and when she saw Steven, she exclaimed in exaggeration, “Hey there, Dillon. You didn’t run into any trouble yesterday, did you?”

Steven looked at her in confusion.

Abby didn’t mince her words at all. “Yesterday, when Amy knew that you bought a knife and went out, she thought you were about to cause trouble. She was so terrified! But Dillon, why exactly did you buy a knife yesterday?”

Amelie didn’t even have time to stop Abby before the latter spilled everything.

An obviously awkward look appeared on Steven’s face, his expressions unnatural.

“What brings you here, Mrs. Gordon?” Amelie interrupted her.

“Oh, uh…” Abby was tongue-tied since she was just here to spectate.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Noticing that Amelie kept staring at her, she scratched her head awkwardly, then peered inside the house. “How many days are you planning on staying here, Amy?”

“She’ll be here for a while, Steven answered in Amelie’s stead.

“A while, huh. Abby turned a little bashful.

Then, she continued, “For someone as fortunate as you, you probably can’t get used to living in small houses like this after marrying a rich husband.”

Amelie didn’t make a sound as she simply looked at Abby.

Abby hastily pointed in the distance. “A grand hotel recently opened in town, and it was built to accommodate wealthy people who come here on vacation. The environment and service are excellent there, and even all the three meals of the day are included. Amy, you should stay there for a bit with your dad to show him more of the world.”

I’ve lived long enough; what more is there in the world to see?” Steven didn’t seem too interested.

Amelie looked at Abby. She had already guessed what Abby was trying to say.

Abby was worried that the family wouldn’t have enough space to live in and might insist on moving back to their old house.

Amelie’s father was a kindly and reasonable person; since he never asked Abby for their rent, she was thinking of hogging the place all her life.

Amelie didn’t plan on breaching the subject so soon, but now that Abby herself came knocking, she naturally wouldn’t let the latter continue taking advantage and feigning ignorance.

Hence, she smiled. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Gordon. We won’t move back to the old house no matter where we live, so feel free to keep living there.”

When Abby heard Amelie saying that they wouldn’t be moving back, her wizened face immediately blossomed into a smile.

“Well, just as expected. Rich people are really built differently.”

Amelie was still smiling as she said, “Dad, about the house Mrs. Gordon and her family are living in, do they pay the rent monthly or yearly?”

“Huh?” Abby’s blooming face instantly froze.

“If it’s yearly, you can give them a discount. Why don’t we give them 20 percent off?”

Abby’s expression stiffened so much that it looked weird.

She was beginning to regret making this trip.

She thought she would just be here to join in on the fun and get some juicy gossip, then completely take over that house. In the end, however, they were asking her for the rent now….

She didn’t dare stay there any longer, so she found a random excuse to escape.

After breakfast, Steven took Bria to the backyard.

Under a shelter in the backyard sat his tool of trade.

Steven sat in front of the old machine and began working it.

The machine was from times long gone, and it kept creaking as it ran.

Bria was curious about everything, and she would touch and peer at everything that caught her fancy. Her eyes widened as she watched Steven thicken the soles of the shoes, and she would ask a few questions here and there.

Steven answered every question she asked.

The grandfather and his granddaughter spent a peaceful time bonding.

Amelie walked over to them. Just like what she used to do back then, she leaned against Steven as she sat down, placing her head on his arm while feeling the bobbing movements of his arm.

“Dad, you’ve been toiling all your life. Why don’t you quit?” she suggested.

For as long as she could remember, her father had always been sitting in front of this machine, toiling away

with abandon.