Ch. 156..160: My Sugar And Your Spice Chapter 156-160
Chapter 156
Ashton was also confused. “He asked me about Elaine just now, and I admitted to it, as we had discussed
before. After that, he just left.”
Elyse immediately frowned, her eyebrows tightly knitted,
Her heart also began to thump wildly.
“What questions did he ask?” she asked anxiously.
Ashton relayed the questions as they were.
He had just finished speaking when Elyse trembled in anger, saying, “How can you be so stupid? If Leo asked you, that means he was just guessing. He wasn’t completely sure whether Elaine was someone we made up or not. By admitting it so easily, you’re confessing everything on your own!”
Elyse looked at the idiot of a man in front of her. If he didn’t have the Lowe Family backing him, she would have slapped him long ago.
Ashton had always thought he stood out and was better than everyone else.
When he heard Elyse’s words, his expression went stiff. He couldn’t explode in anger, so he could only say, “Even if I confessed to it, I would be the only one at fault. You don’t have to worry.”
“How can I not be worried?” Elyse felt annoyed when Ashton was still being ignorant. “Back then, we talked to Leo together. Do you think that Leo, with his intelligence, wouldn’t be able to figure out that I was involved as well?”
She had discreetly told Ashton to take the blame before, but that was just in case of emergencies. She didn’t think he would admit to it so quickly and reveal everything on his own accord!
It was only then that Ashton realized his mistake. He scratched his head in regret, then felt a little mad as he said, “How dare Leo play tricks on me! Geez!”
Elyse glared at him in disgust.
Nothing was going right tonight, and now that Ashton had exposed the matter with Elaine on his own, Leo would hate Elyse even more.
Was their breakup truly set in stone?
Extremely annoyed, she was no longer in the mood to entertain Ashton. She turned around and got into the
car.
Elyse was still too irked to check the screen, so she tossed her phone aside.
She rested her hand on her forehead as she leaned against the window, closing her eyes and staying silent.
Behind the wheel, Ashton had been quiet all this while. When he noticed she wasn’t answering the phone, he turned around and took the phone to take a glance. “It’s a call from Mrs. Alston. Are you sure you’re not going
to pick it up?”
It was only then that Elyse opened her eyes. There was a look of surprise in her eyes as she glanced at the
screen.
She proceeded to take the phone and place it beside her ear. “Hello?”
“Elyse, I spotted you just now. Did you come to the Alston Residence?” On the other end of the line, Melissa’s voice was filled with a natural sense of superiority. She spoke in a high-and-mighty tone even when she was
talking to Elyse.
Elyse hated it when Melissa spoke in that tone, especially now that Leo was breaking up with her and cruelly exposing her.
She was about to say something rude when she remembered that Ashton was still around. She said in a roundabout way, “I did have a quick chat with Leo outside the house.”
Melissa skipped the nonsense and said, “Wait for me at a spot 2 miles away from the Alston Residence. Let’s
meet up.
Elyse didn’t know why Melissa wanted to see her.
Remembering that Melissa was never friendly to her, she was about to decline coldly when Melissa continued, “I want to make a deal with you.”
With that, she hung up without waiting for Elyse’s response.
Elyse’s dull eyes shimmered a little. In the end, she told Ashton to pull up at the spot Melissa spoke of.
“Park the car a mile away, and don’t come here unless I call for you,” she ordered coldly after getting out of the
car.
Ashton looked at her in worry. “It’s not safe for you to be here alone. Let me accompany you.
“No need!”
Her expression was cold and stubborn.
Since Melissa wanted to talk to her, the topic must be something outsiders were not allowed to hear.
Ashton looked at her for a while. When he thought about the mistake he committed that night, he scratched
his head.
In the end, he still left like he was told to.
Elyse waited by the road for a few minutes before the Alston Family’s car slowly drove up to her.
The driver got out of the car first.
Then, he jogged to the back seat and respectfully opened the door.
Melissa was dressed meticulously, just like a queen.
She held her bag with both hands and got out of the car in the most elegant way possible.
The only thing lacking was that she had no worshippers.
”
A few years ago, Elyse was treated coldly by Melissa, so she didn’t have much of a good impression of the
latter.
Seeing her grand entrance, Elyse simply looked on coldly.
There wasn’t even a hint of warmth in her eyes.
When Melissa saw Elyse, she was expressionless as well.
In the night, her high heels clicked crisply against the ground as she walked up to Elyse, then she straightened
up even further.
Not wishing to be intimidated, Elyse straightened her neck a little.
The two seemed to be comparing heights, competing in secret.
Melissa hated Elyse’s attitude of competing with her. She let out a snort of disdain and withheld her comment as she said, “I’ve already filed a lawsuit with the court to fight Amelie for the custody of Bria. Leo doesn’t know about this yet; I fear that if he did, he would definitely stop me. So, I hope you can think of a way to get him to leave for a few days, and then he can come back after everything settles.”
Elyse was even more annoyed when she heard that Melissa would be fighting Amelie for custody of the child.
Of course, she kept an eye on this matter in the dark.
So, she knew about this a long time ago.
She felgned ignorance as she put on a slightly surprised expression.
Melissa smiled.
The meaning behind her smile extended far beyond the surface.
With just a smile, she signaled to Elyse that she knew all sorts of things that Elyse wouldn’t want anyone to
know.
Elyse felt uneasy all of a sudden, and the expression on her beautiful face darkened and turned cold.
“You’re a smart person, Miss Clayton. You should know how this will benefit you. You’re not helping me; you’re helping yourself,” Melissa said meaningfully.
Elyse’s long eyelashes stopped fluttering as a dull light flashed across her eyes.
Melissa was right.
She truly could benefit from this.
As soon as the two faced each other in court, it would mean that they were total enemies.
They simply must fight each other!
Even if she couldn’t get Leo, she didn’t want him to be with the woman who destroyed her happiness!
Elyse didn’t think that she was to blame at all. She still attributed the failure of her relationship 4 years ago to
Amelie’s interjection.
“All right, deal!” She nodded readily.
Melissa nodded in satisfaction.
She got back into the car with her regal steps, then left.
Elyse stood under the tree for some time, then dialed Leo’s number. “Leo, I agree to the breakup, but can you accompany me to Quinn Town? I want to spend a few days there, and I’m setting out tonight.”
On the other end of the line, Leo was holding his phone with one hand while sticking the other hand in his
pocket.
His gaze was dark as he looked into the distance.
He was standing in the study, and documents were piled on the desk along with a number of tasks to be completed on the computer.
“Sure.” Still, he opened his mouth to speak the word.
However, because of their history, even if he didn’t like her anymore, he was still willing to go with her.
A few minutes later, Leo had his work sorted out as he drove and arrived in front of Elyse.
Elyse pursed her lips and opened the door to the passenger seat, sitting in it.
Leo glanced at her silently, then started the car.
The car drove along the intersection.
Someone’s phone started ringing. It was Leo’s.
He slowed down and took out his phone, then looked down at the screen.
A hand suddenly covered the screen, blocking it from view so that he couldn’t see the number displayed.
“Leo, I don’t want you to answer random calls!” Elyse looked Leo in the eye as she spoke in a spoiled manner.
Leo looked up at her.
With their current relationship, she had no right to make such requests.
Elyse couldn’t care less as she plucked the phone from his hand. “You said you’ll accompany me, so I want you to focus on accompanying me for the next few days. Ignore everyone else!”
At the end of her sentence, she added pleadingly, “Okay?”
Leo stared at his phone as he thought for a while.
In the end, he nodded. “Okay.”
If she hadn’t accompanied him all those years, he wouldn’t have become who he was today. This little bit of sacrifice was nothing in comparison.
Seeing that he had agreed, Elyse swiftly turned off his phone and tossed it into her bag.
On the other end, the expression of the person holding the phone gradually sank…
Chapter 157
After thinking about it, Amelie felt that even if it were for Bria’s sake, she shouldn’t have taken it to court and eventually turned Leo into her enemy.
She was calling up Leo with that in mind.
She kept thinking she should talk to him and resolve this matter peacefully.
In the end, she overheard this conversation instead.
At that moment, Amelie felt her heart turn cold.
Then, a cold smile crept onto her lips.
He kept claiming that he cared about Bria, but clearly, he didn’t care much about her.
He even turned off his phone just to accompany Elyse.
Hah.
After hanging up, Amelie began to look for a lawyer.
Starlight Media had its own legal team, but it was more specialized in business matters.
Even though it was the same occupation, their field and focus were different, so there would be an obvious difference.
The person in charge of the legal team recommended Amelie a professional divorce lawyer in Clouson City. After talking for some time over the phone, Amelie briefly told the lawyer about her situation.
“From the current situation, I can see that your video is the strongest evidence the other party has. However, that video isn’t completely invincible,” the lawyer said after a simple analysis of the case.
A discussion over the phone would be inconvenient, so the lawyer invited her for a detailed discussion at his office the next day.
Amelie noted the address, then hung up.
The next day at the appointed time, she went to Oriental Law Firm where the lawyer worked.
She waited there for 2 hours before the lawyer finally showed up.
Amelie didn’t mind it. She retrieved some documents from her bag and said, “I’ve brought everything you asked
me to.
He wiped some sweat off his forehead as he spoke with an apologetic look.
His sudden change in attitude startled Amelie, and she wasn’t sure what she should do. “Didn’t you say that it’s
an easy case?”
“It is, but after some discussion, we decided not to accept your case. Why don’t you ask at another place?”
Amelie looked at the lawyer in suspicion, feeling like there was something else he wasn’t saying.
“Can you be honest with me? Did someone pressure you?”
Hearing Amelie’s question, the lawyer smiled uneasily as he pushed his thick-rimmed glasses. “You are indeed
a smart person, Miss Dillon.”
Amelie didn’t know what to feel about her guesses being spot on.
How could the Alstons do something so despicable just to prevent her from getting custody of Bria?
If even Oriental Law Firm didn’t dare to accept her case, asking the other law firms would be a waste of time
as well.
“Miss Dillon, I know that you’re the representative of Starlight Media and are in no lack of money, but the Alstons have both money and power, and they even have numerous connections. You won’t win if you fight them, so why don’t you sit down and negotiate with them? Perhaps they’ll spare you,” the lawyer suggested.
He felt quite sorry because he broke his promise and was unable to help Amelie.
Even though he dared not offend the Alstons, he still wanted to do his best and give Amelie some friendly
advice.
Amelie knew the lawyer was saying this for her own good, so she nodded. “Thank you.”
After walking out, she took a deep breath.
She realized there was still a large difference between uprising and long-established nobilities.
Throughout her entire life, she had experienced countless problems, but she had never felt as powerless as she was right now.
Amelie dared not tell Steven about the Alstons fighting with her for custody, fearing that he might get too enraged for his own good.
She took a deep breath. She refused to admit defeat so easily.
After a brief respite, she hastily returned to her company and looked for the legal team, then discussed ways to
calum the necklam with tham
She had always been keeping a close eye on this matter, and when she heard that the Alstons were stopping any lawyers in Clouson City from helping Amelle, she was so pissed that she was fuming.
When the legal team left, she finally lost control and slammed the table. “How can Leo do that?! He’s doing whatever he wants just because he has that little powerl Has he forgotten that if it weren’t for you back then, he wouldn’t have anything right now?! He would be struggling for his life in some dark alleyway! Since he has chosen cruelty, two can play the game. Elie, let’s expose him and show everyone the heartless deeds he has
done!”
“So what if we do? He has power, capability, and connections. He can easily seal everyone’s mouth and talk to the news outlets to suppress the news, and everything would be back to normal. What about us? We’ll just be waiting for his revenge, and we’ll end up losing even more!” Amelie said, sighing.
When Julia heard that, she was so angry that her eyes turned red. “What’s going on with this world? Those cruel b’stards are living their best lives, but good people like us have to endure the suffering! I can’t just take and accept it. Elie. We can’t let this slide! They have to take responsibility for this!” She rapped the table, saying, “If the lawyers in this city don’t dare to do it, we’ll just ask lawyers from another city. If they can’t do it. either, we’ll get someone from overseas. I don’t think the Alstons can do anything about overseas lawyers!”
With that, she took out her phone and got ready to make some calls.
“What’s the matter? Did something happen?” Behind them, someone suddenly asked.
The two turned around to see Toby walking in.
The two were stunned to see Toby here.
Julia swiftly placed her phone down as an obvious enmity colored her face. “Why are you here?”
Toby was Leo’s close friend, and under these circumstances, Julia just couldn’t treat him well.
“I was thinking of visiting Master, but I heard Miss Dillon is here, so I decided to stop by,” said Toby.
The master he spoke of was none other than Steven.
Julia also knew about Toby’s apprenticeship under Steven, so when she heard him saying that, she snorted and said, “You’re just making excuses to spy on the enemy, aren’t you?”
Toby was stunned at her words. He couldn’t help but shrug, his handsome face filled with confusion.
Amelie knew that Toby wasn’t that sort of person, so she secretly nudged Julia, hinting at the latter to stop talking.
Julia was still pissed, so she ignored Amelie’s advice. “Isn’t that so? That Alston guy is trying to snatch the child from her, and he’s scared that he won’t be able to suppress us, so now he’s sending someone here to spy
on us!”
revelation.
Julia glanced at him. “Go back and tell that Alston guy that even if he can seal the lawyers’ mouths, he cannot seal mine. If he wants to fight us for the child, I’ll fight with him to the bitter end!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Walsh. Julia is quite emotional right now. Amelie knew more or less that Toby had a different character from Leo. She didn’t want him to be falsely blamed, so she sincerely apologized.
Toby shook his head in understanding. “I never expected Leo to fight you for the child. He has never told me about this before. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Amelie shook her head silently.
The Alstons and the Walshes were business partners. It wouldn’t be practical to ask Toby for help.
Still, to her, Bria was like life itself.
When she thought about the possibility of Bria getting snatched away by Leo, she felt increasingly empty and fearful in her heart.
Toby didn’t stay for long as he soon bade goodbye and left,
He got into his car, but instead of starting the car, he made a call to ask about the lawsuit.
After ending the call, he fell into deep thought.
He knew Leo’s temperament. Even if Leo truly were fighting with Amelie for the child, he wouldn’t have done something like prevent her from hiring a lawyer.
Only Melissa would do something like that.
At that thought, he dialed Leo’s number.
Leo’s phone was turned off.
“Hah!” He chuckled, then dialed another number…
Chapter 158
At Quinn Town.
Leo stood on the balcony of a room in the only large hotel in the area. His hands were in his pockets as he narrowed his eyes to gaze at an unknown point in the distance.
A day had passed since he and Elyse arrived here.
Today, she didn’t choose to return to the hospital they had stayed in before. Instead, she took him to various tourist spots to sightsee.
Even though this couldn’t prove anything, Leo had a feeling that something was wrong.
Elyse had taken his phone away, and she had also removed the telephone line in the room.
Even Elyse turned off her phone and locked it in the hotel safe along with his.
She then set a passcode only she knew.
So, making a call had turned into quite a hurdle.
He was still thinking about it when Elyse walked gracefully in.
She had just taken a shower, so her entire body was fragrant.
She purposefully wore the bathrobe provided by the hotel, thus exposing a large area of dazzling skin.
She was holding two glasses of wine.
She looked down at one of the glasses, a dark gleam rippling in her eyes.
She had gotten Leo here not just for vacation.
She didn’t express much of her thoughts as she walked up to him and raised a glass. “Have a drink.”
Leo didn’t take the glass right away as he looked at her, then at the glass she was raising.
His gaze was naturally deep, and he could observe the tiniest details with just bne look.
Elyse retracted her hand a little. “What’s wrong? Are you scared that I might do something bad? Forget it,
then.”
With that, she turned around to leave.
Elyse’s face froze before shifting into an awkward expression.
Still, she obediently stepped back. “Sorry, I was inconsiderate. I just wanted to give you a glass of wine. I’ll leave right after you finish the wine.”
Leo decisively downed the wine in one go.
As promised, Elyse took the wine glasses back to her room.
Once she entered the room, she hastily positioned the glass under the tap and rinsed it.
As if that weren’t enough, she then brushed it a few times with some cleaning tools.
When she had confirmed no traces were left, she placed the glass back in its original spot.
She stood in her room, her eyes glimmering in an alluring manner. She looked up at the clock on the wall and counted the seconds silently.
After 2 minutes, she went back to the entrance of Leo’s room.
The door to his room opened with just a turn of the knob.
Delighted, Elyse swiftly went in.
She hastily searched the room and saw that the blanket on the bed was already out of place, and there was a
mound on the bed.
Clearly, Leo must have felt uncomfortable and gone to sleep.
Elyse ignored everything else as she quickly pounced onto the bed, pulling the blanket back and hugging the person beneath the blanket right away.
The person stiffened.
Elyse’s head was covered by the blanket, so she couldn’t see properly.
But that didn’t affect her actions.
She lowered her head and placed it against the person’s face. “Leo, I know you need me. I’ll help you right
now.”
With that, she hastily went in for a kiss.
She had just kissed the person when she felt that something was wrong.
Elyse felt like her mind was exploding as she attempted to remove the blanket to take a good look.
The person turned around and pinned her down before kissing her aggressively…
After making a great effort, Elyse finally pushed the person away and rolled off the bed at lightning speed.
Her clothes were unkempt, and even her sash was removed.
She looked up at the man.
She was instantly shocked and terrified.
The man on the bed had small eyes and a tanned face. Even drool was coming out of his mouth!
“Who are you!” She screamed in a high-pitched voice as she tugged her clothes tightly.
The man chuckled and was about to say something when she turned and ran out, unable to spend even a
second more with him.
She swiftly returned to her room and slammed the door shut.
Elyse spent a long while throwing up in her room before realizing that Leo had gone missing.
After asking around, she heard from the manager that Leo had gone to the hospital.
Elyse rushed as fast as she could to the hospital, and even from a distance away, she could see him lying in bed with an IV drip attached to him.
Obviously, he knew what he had drunk.
Feeling guilty, she didn’t have the courage to walk closer to him.
When a doctor passed by, she finally dared to walk over to him. “Leo, why are you suddenly at the hospital?”
Naturally, Elyse knew better than anyone why he would be at the hospital, but she had decided not to admit it no matter what.
As long as she didn’t admit it, Leo couldn’t do anything to her!
Leo calmly looked up, but he didn’t ask her about the wine.
However, he looked at her with such a deep gaze that Elyse felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
After a while, Leo finally sighed and said, “It’s nothing.”
When the drip had finished, the two slowly walked out.
Two doctors were walking toward them at the same time.
One of them kept looking at Elyse and Leo.
Elyse wanted everyone to know they were together, so she supported him boldly and leaned close to him, creating an illusion that they were a couple.
She was initially worried that Leo would refuse to cooperate and push her away.
Surprisingly, he didn’t.
Elyse’s heart leaped in joy as she planned to find a place with more traffic so that more people would know they were on vacation together.
While she was deep in thought, Leo’s voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
Elyse was so occupied with her thoughts that she didn’t hear him clearly. She raised her head and looked at him, asking. “Leo, what were you saying?”
When she had finished asking, she noticed that Leo was pointing at a person. “Don’t you recognize her?”
Elyse didn’t even think twice as she said, “Yes, she’s the doctor who walked past us just now.”
As soon as she stopped speaking, Leo’s expression instantly turned dark!
Elyse looked at his foul expression, her heart sinking.
She knew something went wrong, but she had no idea where, or how.
“You don’t know each other!” Leo exclaimed.
His words puzzled her even more.
“Of course, we don’t!” She said matter-of-factly.
As soon as she said that, she felt a tight grip on her shoulder.
Leo’s voice was cold like a rock as he said, “So you’re not Big Eyes!”
Elyse fell silent.
She was about to explain when she remembered that this hospital was the exact one Leo had stayed in when he lost his sight!
Her back was immediately drenched in a cold sweat!
And her face turned pale as well.
“No, I-I’m Big Eyes.” Her mind went blank, but she refused to admit it.
She held his strong fingers with both hands, trying to pry his hand away.
However, his hand was as firm as iron pliers, and his eyes were void of warmth!
Elyse had never seen Leo in such a cold and fearsome state, and she was so terrified that she kept trembling.
The man in front of her was no longer the man who once pampered and treasured her.
He was a demon who just came from hell!
He was too scary!
Elyse was so scared that even her teeth were chattering. Every part of her body was shivering and twitching in
fear.
A look of despair appeared in her eyes.
Until…
Chapter 159
Leo pushed her away.
Staggering several steps back, she braced herself against the icy wall. “Yes, I am not your Big Eyes.” Elyse tightly shut her eyes.
Silence.
Leo gazed upon Elyse in stony silence, not a hint of emotion appeared on his chiseled features as his lips formed a tight line. However, beneath the calm exterior raged a tempest of turmoil, a tumultuous sea that threatened to surge forth at any moment. His fingers clenched together silently. It was impossible to tell if he was feeling pain, shock, or something else entirely.
Under his gaze, Elyse’s lashes quivered and her face was etched with pain and sadness. He broke the silence after a long time, asking, “Even if you didn’t know that I had mistaken you for someone four years ago, why didn’t you explain after that?”
Tears streamed down Elyse’s face as she gazed back at him with a look of heartbreak and vulnerability. “Your love was like a labyrinth, and I got lost in it, step by step. I forgot why I played along as your Big Eyes back then. I was spineless. It’s not your fault; it’s mine.”
After listening to Elyse’s words, Leo realized that the Big Eyes she was referring to wasn’t what he was thinking. He stood rooted to the spot, watching her as she tightly clenched her fingers, hiding the wounds inflicted by her nails on her palms.
She was frightened by the thought that once she lost the title of “Big Eyes,” she would be doomed. In any way. she knew she couldn’t let Leo suspect her.
Elyse took a step forward, shakily grabbing Leo’s hand. About the woman you just asked, I recalled something about it. She’s the doctor who treated your eyes for you back then. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her, so I didn’t think of it right away, Leony, please don’t be mad.”
Seeing that Leo was still unmoved, she hung her head low and wiped her tears. “Leony, we’ve already broken. up. Do I still need to lie to you? Besides, that doctor didn’t even recognize me. It has been so long, and everyone has changed. It’s normal to not recognize someone.”
Elyse’s words made sense.
Without indicating whether he believed her or not, Leo relaxed his tense body.
After Elyse sensed his change, her nerves, which were close to breaking, finally relaxed a little as well.
That was close.
“It’s getting fate and your hady hasn’t fully rerrwered vel Ier’s get hack muickly Flyep caid nulling him
However, Leo didn’t move; instead, he rubbed his forehead. “Since we’re here, let’s go say hello.”
Thump!
Elyse’s heart thumped as her face drained of color. Her eyes trembled, wondering if he hadn’t truly trusted her.
She wasn’t sure how much the doctor knew about “Big Eyes”. But one thing she knew was if they met face to face, her facade would crumble.
On the other hand, Leo, who proposed the idea, remained still. He stood there, observing Elyse with piercing. hawk-like eyes. Every tiny expression on her face was captured and analyzed by him as his gaze grew more
intense.
Elyse felt her chest tighten and ache with each passing moment. If it turned out that she wasn’t the real “Big Eyes”, it would mean that he had made a huge mistake nine years ago. How could he face the real “Big Eyes” with any shred of dignity?
Despite the tumultuous waves of uncertainty storming within him, Leo chose to search for the truth. He was no coward, cowering from the possibility of error and seeking refuge in avoidance. With a firm grip, he took Elyse’s hand and strode toward the doctor.
“Mr. Albert.” In the blink of an eye, the two arrived before the doctor, and Leo greeted him.
Mr. Albert was in the middle of a phone call, but upon seeing Leo and Elyse approach, he promptly hung up.
“I just saw you walking over from the ward. Are you feeling unwell? Why come all the way to a hospital like ours when you’re sick?” he inquired with concern.
Faced with the doctor’s worries, Leo merely curled his lip slightly before pushing Elyse forward slightly.
“Just accompanying a friend,” he replied.
The doctor’s gaze settled on Elyse’s figure, who now appeared pale as death. Despite the massive changes in her life, she still had the same face she had as a child, and she hadn’t had any plastic surgery. Her features were also vastly different from Amelie’s!
“Well, well, if it isn’t the famous Elyse, Miss Clayton?” The doctor’s voice rang with surprise in her ear. “My son is one of your biggest fans, and to this day, there are posters of you all over our home.”
Snap! Like a fragile string that had finally snapped under one last strain, Elyse completely broke down. Desperation, fear, shame, and embarrassment swelled up within her, a tidal wave that erased the last
shreds of her dignity as she avoided eye contact with Leo.
Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the ground. In an instant, a hand steadied her.
“Miss Clayton, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” It was the doctor who was supporting her
child, always up and about in the germ-infested hospitals. I’ve never seen you get a cold or fever before.”
“Huh?” Elyse’s eyes popped open in disbelief as she heard the doctor’s final words.
She was caught off guard herself.
Her gaze was steadfast as she fixed her eyes on Mr. Albert, which only lasted two seconds.
She didn’t bother to inquire about why Mr. Albert had made that statement, but, like grasping at a lifeline, she quickly nodded, “Yes, I’ve been living abroad for these years, so my habits have gotten out of hand, and my health has declined.”
“When you think about it, our country’s customs and traditions are actually the best. Don’t go abroad again.”
“You’re right.”
After the small talk, Mr. Albert excused himself and left.
Watching his retreating figure, Elyse snuggled up into Leo’s arm. “Leony, I never thought that he would still remember me. You can be at ease now.”
Leo simply agreed, giving her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Upon returning to the hotel, Elyse felt as if her heart was a hollow shell, swaying unsteadily.
Exhausted and devoid of the energy to engage in further conversation with Leo, she collapsed onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. The overwhelming feelings of sadness and shame washed over her like a tidal wave. This humiliation wasn’t born from Leo’s previous attitude, but from the fact that she, the proud Elyse, had fallen so low. She never imagined she would have to live a life shrouded in secrecy, relying on the success of others to get by.
When had she ever lived such a messy life?
As she lay there, lost in her thoughts, a shadow slowly approached, gradually enveloping her in its darkness. When Elyse finally realized it, the figure was already standing at the foot of her bed.
Believing it to be Leo, her heart leaped with joy. “Leony, I knew you…!”
Unfortunately, her face fell upon the sight of a stranger as she looked up. The joy on her face was replaced by
coldness and caution.
“How did you get here?” she asked warily.
Chapter 160
“I’m here to help you, but this tone you’re using when you speak to me doesn’t quite sit well,” the figure spoke to Elyse.
His towering figure blocked the light, making it impossible to see his face clearly. All that was left was the menacing sound of his voice, sending chills down Elyse’s spine.
She furrowed her brow, “So, Mr. Albert from earlier…”
“Smart.” The figure snapped his fingers, even this simple gesture exuding a malicious aura. “I made the call to Mr. Albert, using his family to threaten him to make him cooperate with you. So, how do you plan on showing gratitude for this favor?”
“Gratitude?” Elyse was far from grateful. Instead, she was fired up. “Who gave you the right to take matters into your own hands? I am who I am, Elyse Clayton.”
Whenever she remembered that she was merely Amelie’s stand-in, Elyse felt like her pride was trampled in the
mud.
It was nothing but humiliation!
Instead of becoming enraged as he listened to her words, the figure let out a low chuckle that was sarcastic and ironic, just like before.
Elyse was so frustrated that she was ready to start fuming. “It’s easy enough to say that you don’t want to be Big Eyes. All you have to do is tell Leo now that you are Elyse, not the Big Eyes that had been stuck in this run-down place with him for a year.”
Elyse sprang up from her bed when she heard those provocative words. “You think I won’t dare? Don’t underestimate me. Even without Leo, I, Elyse, can still live well.”
With that, she headed towards the door.
At this moment, she was finally being true to herself. The title of Amelie’s stand-in was a knife to her heart. The man didn’t stop her, and his voice was unwavering as he said, “Think carefully. Once you’re no longer Amelie’s stand-in, all the wrongs you’ve done will come to light, including what you did to Leo tonight with the spiked drink.”
Her steps forward felt like they were suddenly cursed, unable to move another inch. Elyse stiffened, letting the embarrassment wash over her. The courage that had just flared up was now gone, shrinking back to what it previously was.
The man approached her slowly, gently gripping her shoulder. “You’re a smart person and should understand the importance of this title. Oh, and don’t forget to use this title to tighten the leash on Leo. Never let him escape this cage.”
“What What’s your purpose?” Elyse wasn’t foolish, knowing the man wouldn’t help her for no reason.
He chuckled, his voice dark, making Elyse’s chest feel tight. “My purpose is not important. What’s important is that you’re dependent on Leo in every way right now, aren’t you? Without the title of the Big Eyes, why would Leo help you? Who do you think you are? To be blunt, with your current situation, even if you were to be a walk-on, it’s unlikely anyone would want you. Isn’t it because Leo is supporting you from behind that you’re still the glamorous Elyse Clayton?”
Those straightforward words hit Elyse like a barrage of arrows, piercing her with pain, embarrassment, and anger. Each word hit its mark, leaving her fuming. Then, in a fit of rage, she grabbed whatever she could find and hurled them at the person. But it was all nimbly dodged.
Elyse threw with every ounce of energy she had until she was gasping for air like a fish about to suffocate. Toward the end, she even had to use her hands to support herself.
Yet, the man had disappeared without a trace, slipping away unnoticed. She clenched her jaw, her eyes filled with a fiery hatred, which all finally coalesced into a determined resolve. She tightened her fists, ready to face whatever was to come.
The next day, Amelie woke up utterly exhausted. The previous evening had been spent in a grueling meeting with her legal team, followed by hours of online research that had bled into the wee hours of the morning. Given the looming court case, she had decided to stay put in the same house instead of returning to the city.
As she rubbed her tired eyes, thoughts of the pending trial filled her mind and a knot of anxiety formed in her gut. She had heard that Melissa had hired none other than the top divorce lawyer in town, the legendary Lori Walker, who was renowned for never losing a case of this nature. The thought only added to her already frayed
nerves.
As she peered into the mirror, she was not surprised to see dark circles under her eyes, a testament to her exhaustion. Nevertheless, it was not the weariness that scared her but the thought of losing custody of her child. The thought alone was like a hot iron branding her heart with pain.
Just as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang.
She assumed it was her company, so she immediately picked it up and put it to her ear.
The voice on the other end was polite, “Is this Miss Dillon? I am from Mr. Oconnell Law Firm. Our boss is very interested in your divorce case. Can we talk about it in detail?”
“Mr. Oconnell?” Amelie was momentarily stunned.
The name of the boss of Oconnell Law Firm, Mr. Oconnell, was on par with that of Lori Walker.
Mr. Oconnell isn’t intimidated by the Alstons’ influence and is willing to help me?
She nodded and answered okay without hesitation, then swiftly scheduled a meeting with Mr. Oconnell and
She stood in the room, deep in thought.
Although the Alstons had no reach beyond the country’s borders, Julia had already reached out to foreign lawyers. However, they knew that bringing in foreign lawyers would take time, and their legal practices were vastly different from those in the country, making it difficult for even the most skilled lawyers to make an
impact.
At this moment, Mr. Oconnell’s help was like a lifesaver in a blizzard.
Amelie wasted no time, and after greeting Julia, she headed straight to Oconnell Law Firm to meet the man
himself.
For an entire morning, the two of them talked about the case. Mr. Oconnell’s grasp of the law and his insightful analysis of the case left a lasting impression on Amelie, who promptly signed a partnership agreement on the spot.
As the meeting came to a close, Mr. Oconnell personally saw Amelie out. “Mr. Oconnell.” Amelie asked, “Can you tell me who brought you on board to help me with this case? And, with my lawsuit against the
Alstons, aren’t you worried that your law firm will get caught up in the crossfire?”
These questions had been weighing on her mind throughout the meeting, but there simply wasn’t enough time
to address them.
Mr. Oconnell smiled. “Mrs. Alston, you’re a sharp one. I knew you would be curious about this; even Toby predicted it and asked me to keep it under wraps. But, as the person involved, I believe you have the right to
know.”
“Toby?” Amelie was trying to figure out who may be behind this when she heard the name. “Could it possibly be Toby Walsh?”
She could only think of one person who fit the bill and was close enough to make it happen. But he was… A
friend of Leo.
“Yes, that’s him,” Mr. Oconnell confirmed, “Toby may seem friendly and approachable, but he’s not the kind of person to lend a hand to just anyone. The fact that he’s helping you shows how important you are to him.”
Mr. Oconnell seemed to be hinting at something, but he didn’t make it clear. So, when he said those words, he left her to her thoughts and immediately took his leave.
Amelie stood stiffly in front of her car, her hand frozen on the doorknob as she struggled to process the complex emotions of gratitude, uncertainty, and worry churning within her.
Toby had stepped in to help her, and she couldn’t pretend she didn’t know, After she gave it some consideration. she gave him a call.
When he heard that she specifically called to thank him, his grin was as warm as a ray of sunshine. “It’s
With Toby going out of his way like that, a simple meal was the least she could do in return.
She eagerly nodded, “Sure.”
“Why wait for another day when we can do it today? How about lunch? Let me know where you are, and I’ll come to pick you up.” he suggested.
Amelie had no objections, but she couldn’t help asking, “You and Leo are friends, won’t helping me like this affect your relationship?”
“I’m helping you find a lawyer to ensure a fair trial. It saves us all the time and frustration of an appeal and is ultimately better for both parties, isn’t it?”
Her worries were alleviated after hearing his explanation and stance.
It was exactly noon, and she picked a quaint restaurant to have lunch with Toby.
As the meal was coming to an end, Toby was handed a contract by Amelie to sign. The agreement stated that his future collaboration with Starlight Media would receive a 20% discount off their current rate. Of course, this was a generous offer, but Toby couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed as he knew that Amelie did not want to owe him a favor.
Toby graciously signed his name and didn’t try to wriggle his way out of her offer by awkwardly declining. He understood that women like Amelie could easily be driven away if he stuck onto her like gum.
After they finished their meal, the two stepped outside and continued to discuss their collaboration. Suddenly a mischievous child rushed by and almost knocked Amelie down the stairs. Toby quickly reached out to steady her, which caused Amelie to stumble into his embrace.
Just then, a snide remark echoed nearby, “Oh, look at the lovebirds getting cozy in public.”