Chapter 370
Chapter 370
Chapter 370 Worried About Her
Meanwhile, the nurse also left after keeping away the utensils, and silence fell over the room; she could hear only Leo’s shallow breathing.
It made Amelie uncomfortable that Leo was holding her hand, and she tried to pry his fingers apart, but when she just tried to remove one finger, the man on the bed exerted more force and practically dragged her toward him.
As a result, she lost her balance and almost toppled on top of him. If she hadn’t used her other hand to support herself at the very last moment, she would have fallen directly on him, aggravating his injuries.
She inhaled sharply, didn’t dare to move a muscle, and maintained that awkward position for a while before she slowly but surely retreated into the chair by the hospital bed.
It had been an eventful day for her, and drowsiness crashed into her the moment she sat down. Eventually, she supported her chin with her palm and wriggled about on the chair to shift into a comfortable position before closing her eyes slowly. The next time she opened her eyes, she was greeted by sunlight shining through the hospital windows.
She immediately startled awake and noticed that she was sleeping on the bed, with a blanket cocooning her. For a moment, she didn’t know what was going on as she stared at the blanket blankly until the light smell of cigarettes wafted up her nostrils, reminding her that she was far from alone and that this was Leo’s ward.
He was the one sleeping on the bed earlier. So, where is he? she wondered, sitting up and scanning the room for him. A few seconds later, she found him on the balcony with his back facing her.
Although his silhouette looked straight-backed as per usual, he seemed to have lost more weight within these two years. He propped himself against the railing with his arm, and she noticed a cigarette sandwiched between his slender fingers. The wispy smoke traveled up the air with the morning breeze, and the whole scene somehow exuded a sense of abject loneliness.
Maybe he was worried that he would awaken her, he even specially closed the balcony door, but the stubborn cigarette smoke still seeped in through the gaps.
Amelie fanned her nose as she wasn’t used to the nicotine smell. Leo turned around right then as though he could see what was happening behind his back, and their eyes met.
His eyes were as cold and dark as usual, they also held no trace of any emotions, but they seemed to show a little concern when he saw her actions. So, he put out the cigarette in the ashtray he was holding. Then, he set it aside and brushed any remaining soot on himself before opening the door and stepping in.
“Did you just wake up?” he asked in a firm but cold voice.
“Yeah,” she answered, unwittingly turning to the ashtray that was reflecting the light outside the window. “You’re still injured. It’s better to avoid smoking and drinking.”
When she received no answer from him, she realized that she had crossed the line and was about to apologize when he said hoarsely, “When are you returning? It’s too inconvenient to buy another ticket, and Bria is definitely anxiously waiting for your return. You should take my plane back.”
“No, thanks,” she rejected his offer after wearing her shoes. “Even if it’s for Bria’s sake, please take care of your own health.” Then, she tucked her hair behind her ears, gave him a polite nod, and said, “I’ll be taking my leave, then.”
However, Amelie was really down on her luck. That was because the instant she arrived at the airport, she was informed that there was a sandstorm in Lumaria, the country where she was currently residing, and the only flight there had been canceled. She was also gently advised to find a hotel to wait it out as there wouldn’t be a flight back until they were sure that it would be safe for them to operate.
Amelie stood frozen on the spot as she stared at the noticeboard that flashed the word ‘Cancelled’ in bright red lights. She immediately felt her head throbbing as she thought, I just want to go home. Why is life making things so difficult?
As nobody knew when the sandstorm would be over, the airport staff couldn’t tell her the exact time when the flight would take off, either.
When her brain started reminding her that she had been away from home for longer than planned, she couldn’t help but feel a little anxious. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how frustrated she felt, as it wouldn’t help her situation. Hence, she could only wait at the airport for the latest news regarding her departure, and this waiting game lasted for a few more hours.
The waiting game was utterly torturous and mind-numbingly dull. As a result, she kept yawning, but she persisted in her efforts as she grabbed a magazine and flipped through it, trying to stay awake. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
Meanwhile, at the airport entrance far away, Eugene was following a gorgeous man into the airport.
“Mr. Alston, didn’t the plane already pass the test? So, why are you catching a flight at the airport?”
The Alstons had bought a private plane a long time ago. Regardless, it came with a strict requirement as it had to take two tests to ensure that it was up to par. Fortunately, the final test for this year had just been concluded.
Eugene couldn’t understand why Leo wanted to go to this airport instead of taking their own private plane.
Leo’s handsome face was tinged with its usual seriousness and aloofness, and his lips were pursed together tightly as he remained stonily silent. Nonetheless, Eugene had been serving as his personal assistant for years, so he quickly noticed that Leo seemed to be looking for something the moment they entered the airport.
What on Earth is he looking for?
Eugene followed his searching gaze as he darted his eyes around before they finally landed on a lean figure nearby that was sleeping soundly without anyone by her side.
“Oh, I see.” The moment Eugene recognized the woman, the situation became clear to him. Now everything makes sense.
Early in the morning, Leo had been paying attention to weather reports—only the ones about foreign countries—and after listening to them, he announced that he wanted to make a business trip abroad. Still, he came here straight away without even mentioning his destination.
So, the business trip is bogus, but the concern for Miss Dillon is genuine, Eugene thought. Why didn’t he ask her to stay if he was so worried about her? Eugene frankly couldn’t figure out what Leo was trying to do, and he sighed when he saw Amelie fast asleep, completely unaware of her surroundings. The magazine that she was perusing had even fallen to the floor. How could she be so careless? Isn’t she worried about her own safety when she’s sleeping in a public area like this?
Just when Eugene thought that Leo would head over to her and wake her up, he spun around and went to the reception instead. “I would like to have a blanket.”
…
Amelie had a weird dream. In her dream, a pair of eyes were fixed on her, and she had nowhere to run or learn whose eyes they were. Her dream was a confusing desert, and she couldn’t find her escape no matter where she went.
The cold wind ruffled past her, and she shivered from the cold. She desperately ran around as she wanted to find a place to hide from the wind, but there was nothing to shelter her as the winds ravaged the desert, blowing coarse sand against her face.
Just when she couldn’t bear the cold any longer, a ball of fire appeared nearby, and she ran toward it to find that the flaming ball was burning brightly, and there was even a furry toy next to it.
Nonetheless, she hastily warmed her hands at the fire, but the flames were just as cold as the winds. So, she picked up the furry toy instead, which was delightfully warm. Thus, she immediately hugged the toy tighter, bringing it closer to her.
Amelie stretched her body comfortably, and her eyes fluttered open slowly. That was when she saw that she was curled up under a blanket. Even though the blanket was warm, her left arm and the left side of her head were warmer, like she was leaning against someone.
She started to look around to find out who was the one who placed it over her as she clutched the blanket in her hands in bewilderment. Just then, her mind kept replaying the dream she had earlier because she seemed to have smelled a familiar scent in her dreams.
It smelled like Leo. Was he here? she thought.
“It’s been a while.” While she was trying to recall the details of her dream, a gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, snapping her back to reality.
She quickly turned to the source and saw a man with an elegant, clean-cut face dressed in a white shirt and a pair of matching white trousers.
“Toby?”
His appearance took her by surprise, and he looked a little different from two years ago; the hair he used to tie at the back of his head had been cut short, and he sported a short haircut now.
On the contrary, his elegant and clean-cut face seemed untouched by time. It gave off the feeling that regardless of where or when, he would always appear relaxed, which made others feel comfortable and at ease in his presence.
“You’re really amazing. How can you sleep so well in a busy airport like this?” he teased, revealing his pearly whites when he smiled.
For a moment, Amelie was embarrassed, and she kept the blanket away before returning his smile. “There’s a sandstorm, and nobody knows when the next flight will be available. I thought I’d just hang around and wait here, but I fell asleep without realizing it. Thanks for this,” she said, holding up the blanket.
A look of confusion flashed past his eyes, but he didn’t clarify anything about the blanket when she showed it to him. “A sandstorm usually lasts for days. Why don’t you return to a hotel and wait for the news rather than stay here? My car has just arrived to pick me up. Would you like to come with me?”
Amelie combed her hair with her fingers and knew that he was right. So, she accepted his offer with a nod. “Sure,” she said, and they left together.
In the airport bathroom, Eugene could hear the sounds of water flowing, and he secretly checked the time on his watch while standing behind the man who was washing his hands. It’s been five minutes. Mr. Alston has been washing his hands for five minutes, and there are no signs of him stopping. All he
did was… Why is he washing his hands when it’s not something filthy? And he’s even washing them for such a long time!