When His Eyes Opened

Chapter 17

The car sped past Avery, leaving a trail of dust.

She lifted her head and saw the blurry tail lights of the Rolls-Roice in the darkness.

Was that Elliot’s car?

She wiped the tears off her face, calmed herself down, and walked toward the house.

She saw the car parked in the courtyard when she arrived.

She waited outside in hopes of going in after Elliot had gone to his room.

Her eyes stung. She looked up at the stars shining brightly in the night sky.

It was a beautiful spring night.

Before she knew it, she had been standing outside for an hour.

The driver had already moved the car into the garage.

The lights in the living room were still on, but there was nobody in sight.

Avery felt normal, so she walked slowly into the house.

On the veranda on the second floor, Elliot, dressed in a grey robe, was sitting in his wheelchair. The last dregs of wine sat at the bottom of his wine glass.

He had watched Avery the entire hour that she had stood outside in the cold.

He could not figure out the thoughts that would lead her to spend an entire hour out in the cold. She was so still that she could have easily blended in with the trees that stood next to her.

Elliot had met countless intelligent minds in his lifetime because they were the only people worthy enough to stand by his side.

However, Avery was an exception.

He did not consider her bright because she had provoked him despite knowing what kind of man he was.

She was an extremely foolish woman.

Seeing her miserable, however, affected his mood in a peculiar way.

It was a feeling that he had never felt before.

……

the cold wind, but Avery’s head felt heavy by the time she got to

out a thick blanket from the closet, wrapped

of the

from feeling a little sticky, she was in relatively

took a shower, changed into

followed the smell of food to the dining

he had

Elliot hasn’t come

Avery picked up her glass of milk and a

eating in under

afraid of

to see him,” Avery said, then

time together,” said Mrs. Cooper. “Will you be

something to do on campus today, so I won’t be having dinner at home

there,” Mrs. Cooper said. She left,

her and said, “It’s fine. I’ll

Master Elliot and one for the

could not win

to the driver and said, “Thank you. You can head back now.

up to Avery, tapped her on the

bump in her best

a cutie. It’s ‘Mr. Portia’ to you,” Avery said as they walked into campus together. “Tammy,

because of your family? I heard about your

said, “Actually, I never really wanted to

right?” Tammy said. “When

Avery was taken aback.

her mother

only knew that she was dating someone but

“Do you know what it feels like to have someone

placed her arm around Avery’s waist when she saw her red eyes, and said, “Forget about that, Avery. We’re still young. Just think of it as

depending on myself than

Tammy sighed. “You were completely love-struck before summer break, but look at the mature young lady you’ve

“I just hope I can take care of

who’s at top of the class in both majors. The sky’s the limit for someone like you!”

flushed at

the campus together. They had planned to have

arrived at the campus gates, Tammy instantly pointed at the Portia parked

Isn’t that the Mr. Portia who dropped you off

still remembered the