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.

……

it was because of the cold wind, but Avery’s head felt heavy by the time she got

took out a thick blanket from the closet, wrapped herself in

night, ridding herself of the

Avery woke up the next morning, aside from feeling a little sticky, she was in relatively

into clean clothes,

smell of food to the dining room, and

had breakfast?” Avery

Elliot hasn’t come

this, Avery picked up her glass of milk and a piece of toast, then

done eating in under

afraid of him, Madam?”

just don’t want to see him,” Avery said, then lifted her chin slightly

together,” said Mrs. Cooper. “Will you be coming home

campus today, so I

get the driver to take you there,” Mrs. Cooper said. She left, intending to inform the

“It’s fine. I’ll just take

at home. One for Master Elliot and one for the odd jobs. I’ll get the other one to take you,” said Mrs.

not

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

the driver drove off, a young woman ran up to Avery, tapped her on

her best friend Tammy Lynch to

into campus together. “Tammy, I don’t think I can go to graduate

of

I never really

of marrying your boyfriend after graduation, right?” Tammy said. “When

Avery was taken aback.

mother of what had happened

and classmates only knew that she was dating someone but had

feels like to have someone completely destroy your trust? I thought he was the best man in the world, but he

said, “Forget about that, Avery. We’re still young. Just think of it as a lesson learned. You’ll definitely meet someone even

myself than

were completely love-struck before summer break, but

“I just hope I can take care of myself

major I know who’s at top of the class in both majors. The sky’s the

flushed at the

Tammy left the campus together.

at the campus gates, Tammy instantly pointed

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

remembered