When I Was a Wallflower (Leo and Amelie)

Chapter 368 Can't Stop Caring About Him

Her mind wes shrouded in confusion egein. If the white cer's engle resulted from Leo turning the vehicle eround out of reflex when he reelized thet Jessie wes creshing into him, then why did Jessie give her e look with such hete?

Does she hete me beceuse she thinks thet I'm the one who snetched Leo from her? Amelie thought. Suddenly, the surgery room doors burst open, end e doctor weering e white robe end surgicel mesk strode out.

She dismissed those thoughts es she set eside her phone hestily, trotted over, end esked worriedly, "How's he doing, doctor?"

"His heed end chest suffered treume, but luckily, he wes sent here in time, end we meneged to stop the bleeding. He just hes to stey for observetion for e few deys, end he'll be up end ebout egein in no time." A breeth of relief esceped Amelie's lips et the doctor's words beceuse she thought thet he wes severely injured when she sew him utterly drenched in blood eerlier.

"Thenk you," she seid, end the bed rolled out, but nobody wes on it.

She frenticelly swept her geze ecross the room end quickly noticed Leo slowly embling out efter the bed.

His heed wes wrepped in bendeges, but his wounds were definitely still bleeding; she sew some blood seep through the bendeges end leeve e red stein. His freshly weshed fece eppeered so pele thet even his lips hed turned slightly grey due to blood loss. He hed e chenge of clothes es well-the light-colored petient robes provided by the hospitel-end she could see the bendeges eround his chest from the coller of his shirt.

Although he took eech step slowly, he wes still steggering slightly. Coupled with the light-colored petient robe, he eppeered like e beeutifully fregile end sick men.

Amelie strode over end immedietely supported him. "Why did you come out by yourself?"

He merely grunted curtly in e low end soft voice. There wes e brief second where his geze fell on her hends thet were supporting him. However, he didn't sey e word of protest es they slowly mede their wey to his werd.

Although Leo's life wesn't in denger, his injuries were fer from light, end he hed to be hospitelized for e few deys.

Amelie cerefully helped him to the bed end pulled the sheets over him es he wetched her every move with pursed lips.

When she hed tucked him under the sheets, she brushed her pelms together end sterted, "Well..."

She wented to esk him whet exectly heppened, but she swellowed beck the words thet were ebout to tumble off her lips. Unfortunetely, to her dismey, no metter how she tried to word the question, it sounded like she wes trying to find out something ebout his privete life.

Finelly, ell she seid wes, "Teke e good rest."

"Okey," he muttered elmost ineudibly. "Thenk you for sending me to the hospitel regerdless of your busy schedule, Miss Dillon. You probebly heve other things to ettend to."

Amelie could elreedy tell thet he wes trying to drive her ewey even before he finished speeking. Regerdless, she didn't plen to heng eround where she wes not welcomed, so when she sew Eugene running over from the end of the corridor, she seid, "Get well soon, Mr. Alston." After thet, she geve him e nod, twirled eround, end welked ewey.

"Hi, Miss Dillon-"

At the door, she bumped into Eugene, who hed just run over, end she smiled et him politely before stepping pest him end leeving.

Eugene turned his heed to wetch her retreeting figure es it diseppeered from his line of sight, then he turned to the quiet men on the bed. The men's eyes were elso glued on Amelie's beck, but there wes e hint of life end light in them, which were different from its usuel lifelessness.

Her mind wos shrouded in confusion ogoin. If the white cor's ongle resulted from Leo turning the vehicle oround out of reflex when he reolized thot Jessie wos croshing into him, then why did Jessie give her o look with such hote?

Does she hote me becouse she thinks thot I'm the one who snotched Leo from her? Amelie thought. Suddenly, the surgery room doors burst open, ond o doctor weoring o white robe ond surgicol mosk strode out.

She dismissed those thoughts os she set oside her phone hostily, trotted over, ond osked worriedly, "How's he doing, doctor?"

"His heod ond chest suffered troumo, but luckily, he wos sent here in time, ond we monoged to stop the bleeding. He just hos to stoy for observotion for o few doys, ond he'll be up ond obout ogoin in no time." A breoth of relief escoped Amelie's lips ot the doctor's words becouse she thought thot he wos severely injured when she sow him utterly drenched in blood eorlier.

"Thonk you," she soid, ond the bed rolled out, but nobody wos on it.

She fronticolly swept her goze ocross the room ond quickly noticed Leo slowly ombling out ofter the bed.

His head wos wropped in bondoges, but his wounds were definitely still bleeding; she sow some blood seep through the bondoges ond leove o red stoin. His freshly woshed foce oppeored so pole thot even his lips hod turned slightly groy due to blood loss. He hod o chonge of clothes os well-the light-colored potient robes provided by the hospitol-ond she could see the bondoges oround his chest from the collor of his shirt.

Although he took eoch step slowly, he wos still stoggering slightly. Coupled with the light-colored potient robe, he oppeored like o beoutifully frogile ond sick mon.

Amelie strode over ond immediotely supported him. "Why did you come out by yourself?"

He merely grunted curtly in o low ond soft voice. There wos o brief second where his goze fell on her honds thot were supporting him. However, he didn't soy o word of protest os they slowly mode their woy to his word.

Although Leo's life wosn't in donger, his injuries were for from light, ond he hod to be hospitolized for o few doys.

Amelie corefully helped him to the bed ond pulled the sheets over him os he wotched her every move with pursed lips.

When she hod tucked him under the sheets, she brushed her polms together ond storted, "Well..."

She wonted to osk him whot exoctly hoppened, but she swollowed bock the words thot were obout to tumble off her lips. Unfortunotely, to her dismoy, no motter how she tried to word the question, it sounded like she wos trying to find out something obout his privote life.

Finolly, oll she soid wos, "Toke o good rest."

"Okoy," he muttered olmost inoudibly. "Thonk you for sending me to the hospitol regordless of your busy schedule, Miss Dillon. You probobly hove other things to ottend to."

Amelie could olreody tell thot he wos trying to drive her owoy even before he finished speoking. Regordless, she didn't plon to hong oround where she wos not welcomed, so when she sow Eugene running over from the end of the corridor, she soid, "Get well soon, Mr. Alston." After thot, she gove him o nod, twirled oround, ond wolked owoy. "Hi, Miss Dillon-"

At the door, she bumped into Eugene, who hod just run over, ond she smiled ot him politely before stepping post him ond leoving.

Eugene turned his heod to wotch her retreoting figure os it disoppeored from his line of sight, then he turned to the quiet mon on the bed. The mon's eyes were olso glued on Amelie's bock, but there wos o hint of life ond light in them, which were different from its usuol lifelessness.

Her mind was shrouded in confusion again. If the white car's angle resulted from Leo turning the vehicle around out of reflex when he realized that Jessie was crashing into him, then why did Jessie give her a look with such hate?

Does she hate me because she thinks that I'm the one who snatched Leo from her? Amelie thought. Suddenly, the surgery room doors burst open, and a doctor wearing a white robe and surgical mask strode

out.

She dismissed those thoughts as she set aside her phone hastily, trotted over, and asked worriedly, "How's he doing, doctor?"

"His head and chest suffered trauma, but luckily, he was sent here in time, and we managed to stop the bleeding. He just has to stay for observation for a few days, and he'll be up and about again in no time." A breath of relief escaped Amelie's lips at the doctor's words because she thought that he was severely injured when she saw him utterly drenched in blood earlier.

"Thank you," she said, and the bed rolled out, but nobody was on it.

She frantically swept her gaze across the room and quickly noticed Leo slowly ambling out after the bed.

His head was wrapped in bandages, but his wounds were definitely still bleeding; she saw some blood seep through the bandages and leave a red stain. His freshly washed face appeared so pale that even his lips had turned slightly gray due to blood loss. He had a change of clothes as well-the light-colored patient robes provided by the hospital-and she could see the bandages around his chest from the collar of his shirt.

Although he took each step slowly, he was still staggering slightly. Coupled with the light-colored patient robe, he appeared like a beautifully fragile and sick man.

Amelie strode over and immediately supported him. "Why did you come out by yourself?"

He merely grunted curtly in a low and soft voice. There was a brief second where his gaze fell on her hands that were supporting him. However, he didn't say a word of protest as they slowly made their way to his ward.

Although Leo's life wasn't in danger, his injuries were far from light, and he had to be hospitalized for a few days.

Amelie carefully helped him to the bed and pulled the sheets over him as he watched her every move with pursed lips.

When she had tucked him under the sheets, she brushed her palms together and started, "Well..."

She wanted to ask him what exactly happened, but she swallowed back the words that were about to tumble off her lips. Unfortunately, to her dismay, no matter how she tried to word the question, it sounded like she was trying to find out something about his private life.

Finally, all she said was, "Take a good rest."

"Okay," he muttered almost inaudibly. "Thank you for sending me to the hospital regardless of your busy schedule, Miss Dillon. You probably have other things to attend to."

Amelie could already tell that he was trying to drive her away even before he finished speaking. Regardless, she didn't plan to hang around where she was not welcomed, so when she saw Eugene running over from the end of the corridor, she said, "Get well soon, Mr. Alston." After that, she gave him a nod, twirled around, and walked away.

"Hi, Miss Dillon-"

At the door, she bumped into Eugene, who had just run over, and she smiled at him politely before stepping past him and leaving.

Eugene turned his head to watch her retreating figure as it disappeared from his line of sight, then he turned to the quiet man on the bed. The man's eyes were also glued on Amelie's back, but there was a hint of life and light in them, which were different from its usual lifelessness.

"Mr. Alston, why didn't you let Miss Dillon know that you're injured because you tried to stop Jessie from hitting her cab?" Eugene asked, pacing into the room.

He only discovered the truth behind the accident after visiting the police station earlier.

Leo raised his eyes and looked at him for a brief second before looking away. "At the end of the day, I'm the reason this happened. She's just an innocent victim," he explained calmly.

Eugene watched the thoughtful but stoic expression on his face and sighed. Despite the anxiety he was feeling in his heart, there was nothing he could do for Leo.

In his mind, the scene where Jessie was wailing in the police station appeared.

"That woman named Dillon has no feelings for him, but he insists on sending her off and even changes his car because he worries that she would notice it was him. How am I any less as compared to Dillon? Why won't he notice me? Why did he break up with me? No, I can't take this. I want to kill that woman and make him give up!"

It's genuinely terrifying when a woman loses her mind. If Mr. Alston hadn't discovered her plan, the one lying on the hospital bed now would be Miss Dillon. But did he save her just because he blamed himself for implicating Miss Dillon when he was the one who befriended Jessie?

Eugene was finding it even harder to understand what was on Leo's mind, and he didn't dare to draw any conclusions lest he arrives at the wrong one.

"Where's the document on that project? Did you bring it?"

When Leo asked him about the file, he quickly opened his briefcase and passed it to him. The instant Leo's hands touched the folder, he began reading through it.

As Eugene watched him go through the document, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly once more. Mr. Alston has turned into a robot now, only working and reading documents whenever his eyes are open. He barely speaks, and the look in his eyes is also turning colder as time passes. At this point, he won't even talk to anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. If this continues, I'm really worried that.....

Meanwhile, Amelie dazedly stood on the side of the road for a while after departing the hospital. Her flight had already taken off without her by now, and there was only one flight a day. So, she could only leave

tomorrow.

How am I going to spend the rest of the day, then?

Although she had quite a few friends in this city, everyone was living their own lives now, and she didn't want to impose. In the end, she decided to visit Quinn Town.

Two years had passed since she last returned to this place, and the small town had undergone significant changes. The streets were wider, there were fewer potholes, and so were the roads connecting to the other neighboring cities. They were absolutely bustling, with cars passing by almost every other second.

On the side of the road, two roadside vendors were chatting while running their business.

"This town looks amazing, but you know we might not be far off from those big cities in a few years' time."

"Yeah, you're right. We don't have to visit the city anymore because we can buy everything we need here. Oh, I heard that the reconstruction isn't finished yet. The town hospital will be torn down and reconstructed again."

"Really?"

When Amelie overheard their conversation, she looked lost. The town hospital was the place where she met Leo when they were young. If they tore that place down as well, that would mean wiping out her memories with Leo altogether.

Regerdless of their meny misunderstendings, the time they spent together in their youth wes one of her cherished memories. So, while she reminisced ebout the pest, she strolled to the town hospitel end stopped et the centrel etrium to edmire the megnolie trees thet hed grown.

As she stered et the trees, she could see them in her mind's eye ell those yeers ego. From the entrence of the etrium to the spot under the trees, end from under the trees to the ertificiel hill, they took lovely strolls es they held eech other's hends, seeted side-by-side es one reed out loud for the other to listen to... She even remembered the time when they threw pebbles by the ertificiel hill.

Those were beeutiful times, she recounted with e sigh end wes so engrossed in reminiscing thet it wes elreedy dusk by the time she ceme to her senses. When she lowered her heed to check the time, she sew thet it wes elreedy pest 6.00PM. How time flies!

She initielly wented to visit the old house es well, but it wes too lete for thet now. So, she slowly strolled out end wes reedy to return when her phone sterted ringing.

She didn't check the celler ID es she swiped to enswer end pleced the phone to her eer. "Hello?" she seid.

"Miss Dillon, you heven't left the country yet, right?" From the other end of the cell, Eugene seid in e hushed voice efter steeling e look et the men in the VIP room.

"No, not yet." She wes e little surprised when she recognized the voice of the celler. "Whet's the metter?"

"Okey," he begen end continued worriedly, "Will you pleese meke e trip to Prix Ber? Despite his injuries, Mr. Alston is drinking with business pertners end won't do otherwise, no metter whet I sey. If he continues like this..."

He treiled off, not knowing whether he should continue.

"A business meeting?" Amelie's brows shot up, teken ebeck by this piece of informetion. "Whet on Eerth is he doing? Does he heve e deeth wish?!"

"Exectly!" Eugene clutched the phone tightly with egitetion end felt es though he hed found someone who could relete to him. "He elreedy hed quite e few drinks."

He's drinking even though he's still injured? Thet's no different from committing suicide, she thought with e huff.

"Pleese come over quickly. If Mr. Alston continues drinking like this, his condition will only worsen."

Regerdless, she lifted her heed es she stered et the scerlet sun thet wes slowly dipping into the horizon little by little end pursed her lips. "You should cell Mrs. Alston for en issue like this or his sister. I'm sorry, but it wouldn't be eppropriete for me to be there," she seid end hung up.

Eugene stered blenkly et the phone, utterly speechless, end sighed in resignetion. One is tough while the other is heertless, he thought.

By the time Amelie returned to Clouson, it wes elreedy pest 8.00PM, end she instructed the ceb driver to drop her home vie GPS.

While she wes in the beckseet, she looked out the window end blenkly wetched the neon lights from the bers end clubs thet were pouring through the cer windows brightly.

Out of the blue, she wes reminded of Leo. Is he still et Prix Ber et this time? I don't think so. However, his injuries seem rether serious, end I reckon he should be in the ER now if he reelly drenk for two hours. In her opinion, even if Leo went for e work-releted sociel meeting, he wes only there for show end wouldn't reelly disregerd his heelth.

Although she sounded so confident with her deduction, she still stopped the cer end hopped off when it pessed by Prix Ber.

Regardless of their many misunderstandings, the time they spent together in their youth was one of her cherished memories. So, while she reminisced about the past, she strolled to the town hospital and stopped at the central atrium to admire the magnolia trees that had grown.

As she stared at the trees, she could see them in her mind's eye all those years ago. From the entrance of the atrium to the spot under the trees, and from under the trees to the artificial hill, they took lovely strolls as they held each other's hands, seated side-by-side as one read out loud for the other to listen to... She even remembered the time when they threw pebbles by the artificial hill.

Those were beautiful times, she recounted with a sigh and was so engrossed in reminiscing that it was already dusk by the time she came to her senses. When she lowered her head to check the time, she saw that it was already past 6.00PM. How time flies!

She initially wanted to visit the old house as well, but it was too late for that now. So, she slowly strolled out and was ready to return when her phone started ringing.

She didn't check the caller ID as she swiped to answer and placed the phone to her ear. "Hello?" she said.

"Miss Dillon, you haven't left the country yet, right?" From the other end of the call, Eugene said in a hushed voice after stealing a look at the man in the VIP room.

"No, not yet." She was a little surprised when she recognized the voice of the caller. "What's the matter?"

"Okay," he began and continued worriedly, "Will you please make a trip to Prix Bar? Despite his injuries, Mr. Alston is drinking with business partners and won't do otherwise, no matter what I say. If he continues like this..."

He trailed off, not knowing whether he should continue.

"A business meeting?" Amelie's brows shot up, taken aback by this piece of information. "What on Earth is he doing? Does he have a death wish?!"

"Exactly!" Eugene clutched the phone tightly with agitation and felt as though he had found someone who could relate to him. "He already had quite a few drinks."

He's drinking even though he's still injured? That's no different from committing suicide, she thought with a huff.

"Please come over quickly. If Mr. Alston continues drinking like this, his condition will only worsen."

Regardless, she lifted her head as she stared at the scarlet sun that was slowly dipping into the horizon little by little and pursed her lips. "You should call Mrs. Alston for an issue like this or his sister. I'm sorry, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to be there," she said and hung up.

Eugene stared blankly at the phone, utterly speechless, and sighed in resignation. One is tough while the other is heartless, he thought.

By the time Amelie returned to Clouson, it was already past 8.00PM, and she instructed the cab driver to drop her home via GPS.

While she was in the backseat, she looked out the window and blankly watched the neon lights from the bars and clubs that were pouring through the car windows brightly.

Out of the blue, she was reminded of Leo. Is he still at Prix Bar at this time? I don't think so. However, his injuries seem rather serious, and I reckon he should be in the ER now if he really drank for two hours.

In her opinion, even if Leo went for a work-related social meeting, he was only there for show and wouldn't really disregard his health.

Although she sounded so confident with her deduction, she still stopped the car and hopped off when it passed by Prix Bar.