Melissa had always behaved cautiously around Leo over the years, and it had been what felt like forever since she last lashed out at the young man.
At that, Leo lowered his head and checked Melissaâs phone to find it was none other than the clip of Jodie losing to Bria in a singing match.
âHave you asked Jodie what exactly happened?â Leo asked with slightly furrowed brows.
âDo I even need to?!â Melissa still felt resentful about the way Amelie treated her after divorcing Leo.
âThis must be Amelieâs handiwork! She put this online to humiliate our family!â
âStarlight Media was celebrating their anniversary that day, and Jodie showed up with an invitation she bought from someone at a high price. She was the one who caused a disturbance at a party she wasnât invited to.â Leo had only found out about it later as well.
However, Leoâs answer only upset Melissa further. âEven so, Jodie mustâve only gone to congratulate her! She, on the other hand, put Jodie in a humiliating position because of her hatred for our family!â
Her words were so biased and ridiculous that Leo didnât even want to say anything, and Melissa realized how deeply flawed her caterwaul was after calming down too.
At that, she took a deep breath and said, âLeo, no matter whether Jodie provoked Amelie intentionally or not, Amelie shouldnât have posted the clip online when she had already humiliated Jodie using Bria.
Now, everyone knows how chaotic our family is; a niece provoked and humiliated her aunt. How do you expect Jodie to face the world from now on? Also, what about my dignity?! Back then, you promised I would live a glorious life as long as I stayed out of your business. Shouldnât you be doing something now that Iâm being humiliated?!â
Melissa had been competitive and prideful her whole life, and the issue made her feel so humiliated that she didnât even work out or do a facial during the day.
âEveryone has their eyes on our family. Who knows how theyâre laughing at us now that they not only know that Amelie and we are on bad terms, and the CEO of Starlight Media will also be raising a child of our family! I can overlook everything else, but Bria has to return to us!â Melissa demanded and flipped out with bloodshot eyes, seeing how Leo only rubbed his temples silently the whole time. âI mean it, Leo. I wonât live anymore if you canât get custody over Bria! Itâs on you to decide whether to protect Dillon or fulfill your motherâs wish!â
With that, she turned to the coffee table and slammed a knife against it.
âIâll talk to Amelie.â The man finally spoke up.
æ¯ It wasnât because Melissaâs threat worked, though. Rather, he didnât need anyone to raise his child.
young man obliged happily.
âSorry, my dadâs a little too much sometimes. He doesnât know youâre busy,â Amelie apologized.
Toby now regarded Steven as his master, so he couldnât turn the elder down now that they had established this level of relationship.
âIâve got time. Besides, Iâm more than happy to stay and taste Mr. Stevenâs cooking,â said Toby with a smile as his eyes sparkled when looking at Amelie, who looked away, pretending not to have seen it.
âAmelie, itâll be a while before lunch is ready. Why donât you show Toby around and also pick some of the vegetables I recently planted while youâre at it?â Steven suggested, to which Amelie nodded resignedly and headed outside after taking the basket from her father.
Stevenâs vegetable patch was originally a hanging garden, which Amelie deliberately bought when she first purchased the house, thinking that Bria would have another space to play in.
Later on, Steven bought some soil after moving in, and just like that, ridge after ridge was piled up.
Right then, some vegetables had just sprouted while others had already grown, and vegetables like tomato, squash, and pumpkin were ready for picking. All in all, it was a thriving vegetable patch.
âMr. Steven sure is diligent,â Toby couldnât help marveling as he looked at the vegetable patch.
Amelie smiled in response before going in to pick some tomatoes.
Toby, on the other hand, just watched her from outside.
Amelie had put her hair up into a simple ponytail. Coupled with her green and white striped shirt and capris, she looked petite and lively, unlike a woman who had a child but rather a graduating high schooler.
She moved nimbly as her fingers traversed the tomato vines.
The fruits dropped gently onto her tiny hands one after another before being put gently into the basket.
Her fingers brushed against the tomatoes, and Toby suddenly thought it would be amazing if he became one of the tomatoes in her hands as he would be treated tenderly.
That said, he noticed a subtle issue-Amelieâs vision seemed somewhat offset.
A normal person would first notice what was in front of them, but she would always go for the tomatoes on her right every time she picked one.
Is her left eye⦠damaged? Tobyâs heart skipped a beat as an outrageous idea came to him. Could it be that Amelle was the one who donated the cornea?!
Back then, Leo recuperated in Quinn Town, and she was a local. Then, four years ago, she married Leo without hesitation. If the two had no connections, given her achievements and abilities back then, she wouldnât even need to cling to the Alstons. But if the two had connections, why would Leo have no memories of her and even feel nothing for her after marriage?
Toby deduced and wondered, only to feel more and more baffled. As such, he stopped and went between the ridges.
âYou canât see from your left eye, can you?â he asked as he held a vibrant red tomato on her left.
As Amelie had been focused on picking the tomatoes, Tobyâs sudden question caught her off guard and startled her. She dropped the tomato in her hand onto the ground.
âWhy would you ask like that?â She quietly put the fruit into the basket and looked at Toby. Years of experience helped her recollect her composure in two shakes.
Toby, on the other hand, gazed into her eyes as he told her his deduction.
Chills ran down Amelieâs spine as she reeled in surprise that the man would observe so closely and deduce so accurately.
At the same time, she felt somewhat bitter.
Leo was completely oblivious to her blindness during the four years of their marriage, while Toby, an outsider, had already noticed it during their short interaction.
She was certain she would be deeply miserable for a while if she hadnât already put all of it behind.
1 At that, she gently shook her messy thoughts away and nodded with a smile. âI do have a bit of a problem. I injured it during a fall but said nothing about it because I was worried my dad would worry.
Just like that, missed the best treatment period. Please donât tell my dad about this. He will be devastated.â
âYou injured it during a fall?â Toby repeated mechanically. That was all he heard Amelie say.
âYeah, a fall.â The young woman nodded firmly.
Was her relationship with Leo not a fall? It was a pretty serious fall, after all.
At that, she changed the subject, not wanting to talk about the issue at length. âIâve looked through the partnership projects your company sent over. Theyâre pretty good. Why donât you swing by Starlight, and weâll get the contracts signed when you have the time?â
Toby nodded silently in response, and Amelie headed out of the garden patch after seeing that they had just about enough vegetables.
âYouâre changing the subject, arenât you?â Toby blurted dazedly as he looked at her back.