When I Was a Wallflower (Leo and Amelie) novel Chapter 52

Chapter 52 A Nice Woman You Shouldn’t Miss Out On
As Amelie opened her mouth, she almost uttered the word, ‘Snowy’.
“Huh! And you say that you’re not stalking Leo! What is all this about?” The blunt remarks brought her back to reality. Seeing that it was Amelie, Leo felt like he was drenched in cold water, and his expression turned grim. His cold glare and grim expression showed how much he detested her. It was obvious that he believed what Ashton said.
“I’m sorry,” Amelie whispered under her breath and tried to calm her emotions down, which were triggered by the memories. The reason she apologized wasn’t that she was stalking him, but it was because she went back there to reminisce about the past when she had already vowed to forget everything about him after they got divorced. With that, she walked away.
“What are you doing here?” Leo questioned her as he stared at her back. Earlier, he saw her as a fifteen-year-old child as her voice was somewhat similar. However, it was the first time he noticed her voice after being married to her for four years.
Hearing that, Amelie chose to lie as she had given up hopes of getting back with him. “I’m here to collect my medicine.” She walked out right after answering his question and saw Ashton standing next to Elyse. He scoffed when Amelie walked past him, and he looked at her with disdain since he was certain that she was lying.
“Leo, why would you ask her what she’s doing here when she had already admitted to stalking you? Are you trying to give her a way out? Why bother?” Ashton went up to Leo and asked. Leo merely looked down quietly upon hearing that.
The next moment, Elyse pushed Ashton away displeasedly and stood before Leo. “Leo, wasn’t this the place that you stayed at when you injured your eye? Why did you suddenly want to come here?”
“Don’t you want to be here?” Leo suddenly held her hand and asked.
“I…” She didn’t know what he meant but nodded as she answered him. “Of course, I’d want to. I’m interested in all the places that you’ve been to.”
Just… Like that? Leo’s gaze was filled with disappointment after he heard her reply.
This wasn’t only a place that they’d stayed before, but it was where both of them started their lives anew. Back then, Leo was involved in a car accident, and his father sacrificed himself to protect Leo. As a result of the accident, Leo suffered from a loss of sight. At the age of seventeen, which was one of the best years of his life, the young man became blind, and it broke him. Moreover, his mother blamed him for her husband’s death and cursed Leo while pushing him away. “Why are you still alive? You are the one who should have died!” In the end, his heartless mother abandoned him there, making him think that he would spend the rest of his life living in guilt until he met… her.
Two equally sinful souls warmed each other’s hearts during the most painful period of their lives. She was more resilient than him, as she would gently persuade him to eat, to make progress, to give up on himself, and to cheer up.
He would always hear her encourage him with her sweet voice. Snowy, although we had sinned, we should still stay alive. I have decided that I’ll treat my father well and take good care of him. Snowy, don’t give up! We have to become stronger so that we can make up for what we have done.
If you’re not gonna eat, you’ll starve to death. Even so, your father will not come back to life.
Don’t think that you won’t be able to do anything even though you are blind because there’s a lot that you can still do. If not, I can be your eyes. Whatever you want to see, I’ll see it on your behalf. I shall be your big eyes, your forever big eyes!
Snowy, don’t be lazy, and pay attention to what I’m reading!
Snowy, this question is so hard for me to understand. Can you teach me?
Leo closed his eyes as he reminiscence the past. It was through it all that Big Eyes persistently dragged him out of the predicament he was in. Slowly, he was recovering and willingly fell for her white lies and answered the questions for her. He knew about all her little tricks, but he never once pointed them out. He would feel warm and fuzzy inside every time when she chuckled after getting away with it. Almost all the warmth that he experienced in his life after the age of seventeen came from that girl. That silly girl even called him ‘Snowy’ because of his fair complexion.
“Why don’t you call me Snowy anymore?” Leo opened his eyes and asked before looking at Elyse.
“S-Snowy?” Elyse stuttered as she was caught off guard by his question.
Why would she address him using such an odd name? However, when she saw how serious Leo looked, she dared not answer carelessly as she had a feeling that there was a meaning behind it. She could only stare at Ashton, hoping he could help her.
“Leo, you’re a grown man. Why would you want her to call you by that childish name? Do you see her as a child?” With that, he pulled Elyse away and said, “Go do whatever you want. Elyse and I will be waiting for you outside.”
“What is with ‘Snowy’?” Elyse only had the guts to ask Ashton about it after they stepped out.
“No idea. Isn’t that the nickname that you gave him?” He scratched his head out of confusion.
“Don’t you think that the way Leo looked at Amelie was different?” Elyse seemed annoyed as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
“How different?” Ashton didn’t seem to think so. “Throughout the four years she was married to Leo, he never took a proper look at her. So even if she intended to rekindle their relationship, she wouldn’t be able to make waves.”
Elyse didn’t feel at ease no matter how Ashton consoled her, although she herself wasn’t sure why she was feeling that way. It was probably because Leo suddenly wanted to visit this place.
“I’ll go somewhere!” Before Ashton could answer her, she had already left.
After standing in the hospital’s foyer for some time, Leo made a trip to the hospital director’s office and made a generous donation. The director was so glad to receive the donation that he couldn’t stop smiling. Since it was a small hospital situated in the town, it was hard for them to get funding, especially for medical equipment. Thus, Leo’s generous donation of 20 million was a great blessing to them.
The hospital director then offered Leo a tour around the hospital, but Leo didn’t really feel like it and politely declined. In the end, he asked Leo to sign the hospital guest book.
“Leo… Alston?” Just then, the director of the ophthalmology division, who happened to walk past, saw the name written on the guest book. She couldn’t help but take another look at Leo and asked, “Are you… Leo, who used to be admitted to the hospital to have your eyes treated?”
Hearing that, Leo looked up and immediately recognized the person in front of him. “Dr. Lily Philips.”
Lily used to be his attending physician, but her appearance hadn’t changed much over the decade.
“I almost couldn’t recognize you. You’re so tall now.” Lily nodded.
Since the handsome Leo was admitted to the hospital for around a year, Lily naturally wouldn’t forget about him. Leo merely smiled politely, but it was apparent that he was more mature than before.
The talkative Lily looked at him from head to toe and asked, “You must be married to the pretty girl that used to accompany you all the time. Both of you look good together.”
“Not yet,” he answered awkwardly.
“Why not? She is such a good lady. Aren’t you worried that she’d date someone else?” Leo answered with a smile, as it wouldn’t be nice to let Lily know about the history between him and Elyse.
The kind-hearted Lily couldn’t help but remind him. “I know Elie’s family well, and she is truly a nice woman whom you shouldn’t miss out on.”