Leo pushed her away.
Staggering several steps back, she braced herself against the icy wall. âYes, I am not your Big Eyes.â
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, Elyseâs lashes quivered and her face was etched with pain and sadness. He broke the silence after a long time, asking, âEven if you didnât know that I had mistaken you for someone four years ago, why didnât you explain after that?â
Tears streamed down Elyseâs face as she gazed back at him with a look of heartbreak and vulnerability.
âYour 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. Itâs not your fault; itâs mine.â
After listening to Elyseâs words, Leo realized that the Big Eyes she was referring to wasnât 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 âBig Eyes,â she would be doomed. In any way. she knew she couldnât let Leo suspect her.
Elyse took a step forward, shakily grabbing Leoâs hand. About the woman you just asked, I recalled something about it. Sheâs the doctor who treated your eyes for you back then. Itâs been so long since Iâve seen her, so I didnât think of it right away, Leony, please donât be mad.â
Seeing that Leo was still unmoved, she hung her head low and wiped her tears. âLeony, weâve already broken. up. Do I still need to lie to you? Besides, that doctor didnât even recognize me. It has been so long, and everyone has changed. Itâs normal to not recognize someone.â
Elyseâs 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.
âItâs getting fate and your hady hasnât fully rerrwered vel Ierâs get hack muickly Flyep caid nulling him However, Leo didnât move; instead, he rubbed his forehead. âSince weâre here, letâs go say hello.â
Thump!
Elyseâs heart thumped as her face drained of color. Her eyes trembled, wondering if he hadnât truly trusted her.
She wasnât sure how much the doctor knew about âBig Eyesâ. 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 wasnât the real âBig Eyesâ, it would mean that he had made a huge mistake nine years ago. How could he face the real âBig Eyesâ 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 Elyseâs hand and strode toward the doctor.
âMr. Albert.â 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.
âI just saw you walking over from the ward. Are you feeling unwell? Why come all the way to a hospital like ours when youâre sick?â he inquired with concern.
Faced with the doctorâs worries, Leo merely curled his lip slightly before pushing Elyse forward slightly.
âJust accompanying a friend,â he replied.
The doctorâs gaze settled on Elyseâs 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 hadnât had any plastic surgery. Her features were also vastly different from Amelieâs!
âWell, well, if it isnât the famous Elyse, Miss Clayton?â The doctorâs voice rang with surprise in her ear.
âMy son is one of your biggest fans, and to this day, there are posters of you all over our home.â
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.
âMiss Clayton, whatâs wrong? Are you feeling unwell?â It was the doctor who was supporting her child, always up and about in the germ-infested hospitals. Iâve never seen you get a cold or fever before.â
âHuh?â Elyseâs eyes popped open in disbelief as she heard the doctorâs 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 didnât bother to inquire about why Mr. Albert had made that statement, but, like grasping at a lifeline, she quickly nodded, âYes, Iâve been living abroad for these years, so my habits have gotten out of hand, and my health has declined.â
âWhen you think about it, our countryâs customs and traditions are actually the best. Donât go abroad again.â
âYouâre right.â
After the small talk, Mr. Albert excused himself and left.
Watching his retreating figure, Elyse snuggled up into Leoâs arm. âLeony, I never thought that he would still remember me. You can be at ease now.â
Leo simply agreed, giving her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. âLetâs go.â
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 wasnât born from Leoâs 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. âLeony, I knew youâ¦!â
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.
âHow did you get here?â she asked warily.