Veronica stared at him blankly, unable to grasp the meaning of his words for a moment.
She turned her face away and asked coldly, “What on earth are you trying to say to me?”
“I want you!”
Veronica looked at him in shock, and she stammered as she was lost for words, “Why, you…”
“Are you scared?”
“No, I am not, but don’t you dare joke about something like that ever again!” She was definitely freaking out!
“You want stay away from him, is what you are currently thinking about, right?”
Veronica always tried to keep her thoughts in front of Toby, but he just could see through her clearly. Yes, it was true that she wanted to stay away from Nick after learning that she was just a plaything for him.
“I can help you.” Toby held her little face as he tried to catch her gaze, and slowly reached for her face, trying to bewitch her.
“I don’t need your help!” Veronica Parker managed to tilt her head sideward to avoid Toby’s little boldness, albeit her control over her own thoughts.
“I know you want it! I can sense it, Veronica.” He held her attention once again and fixed his eyes on her.
Veronica felt her breathing hitched and she clenched her teeth. He couldn’t just possibly declare that he still knew her like the back of his hand. She’s clearly not the same person as she was before.
“I won’t force you, so take your time to think about it.” Toby snaked his arm around her waist, pulled her closer and hugged her gently.
Veronica froze in his embrace, her face against his chest.
Would he really help her? Moreover, was Toby the right person to ask for help?
His gentle embrace revived a sense of familiarity that she buried deep within her memory. This was the hug that she once sought for comfort, without having to worry whether she was already acting like a spoiled little brat or not.
But for some eccentric reasons, something inside her screamed that she should not stay any longer in that embrace no matter how consoling it was.
She knew exactly what kind of person Nick was.
She knew that she could look after herself, but nevertheless, she definitely did not want Toby to be involved further in their mess.
She did not want anything to happen to someone who was as kind as Toby.
But why she would care for Toby that much was an idea she couldn’t quite comprehend. She should do otherwise.
He was clearly a part of her past, and she was fully aware of that fact. But she was also under no obligation to care for him.
She won’t ask for help! Especially not Toby’s help, even when she was very desperate to get out of the misery that befell her.
“Toby, no. This isn’t right.” Veronica said and tried to get out of his arms just in time when she heard the sound of the lavatory’s door opening.
She shook her body forcefully as she tried to unbridle herself from Toby who seemed to pay no attention to what was happening around him.
She realized something, and the first thought that came to her mind was that what if the people who entered just now were connected to Nick somehow? No they couldn’t be his bodyguards.
Veronica turned a little pale at the thought of this possibility.
Toby, alas, acknowledged the other people present in the lavatory and frowned slightly! Who were the people inside the restroom with them? Would they be busted? Something would definitely go wrong once they made any unwanted sounds.
“Stop dillydallying, I’m getting really impatient out here!” The noise that filled the room ceased as the voice of a man resounded.
The expression of Veronica Parker changed slightly at the tone of his voice.
The door of the cubicle swung open and Elton came into view. He looked at Veronica and Toby who were still in each other’s arms with a scrutinizing look on his face. “You guys really picked a good place for cheating, but this place is too cliche. I did not even break a sweat in finding you.”
With that, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Veronica.
For the first time in her life, her brain seemed to have completely lost its function as she just stood there in a daze with Elton pointing the muzzle of his black gun at her.
Even when he fired his gun, she just instinctively closed her eyes, waiting for the bullet to hit her before hearing Toby said something under his breath.
The next moment, Veronica had crashed the wall from across them.
“Ah!” Veronica cried out in horror, but her body didn’t feel any pain! By the time she opened her eyes, Toby was no longer holding her. Instead, he kicked the trash can next to him quickly and it flew before landing onto Elton’s face.
Elton raised his arm to block his face, but the force was too strong that he was pushed against the wall even more.
Leo, who was waiting anxiously outside for the whole time, was startled when he heard the gunshot.
Didn’t Toby and Veronica enter the bathroom a while ago? But more importantly, was that where the gunshot was coming from?
Did Toby take Veronica inside and shot her? No, it was very unlikely. But how could he be so sure about that? Or maybe he was delusional and what he heard was just the sound of firecrackers?
Nevertheless, Leo rushed in and before he could take a step inside, he was suddenly bumped by a silhouette and was thrown to the side. His waist was knocked on the sink, and he cried out in pain!
Before he could react, the man was gone in a second.
“Toby…” Veronica’s voice trembled as she stared at the blood gushing out of Toby’s shoulder.
Toby immediately covered his shoulder with his hand, and his palms were instantly covered with blood. He leaned against the nearby wall weakly as he gasped for air.
“I-I’ll take you to the hospital. Leo, come and help him!” Veronica hurriedly asked for help.
Leo ran towards them, “Master Cage, let me help you to the car.”
Toby, however, did not move and instead looked at the red-eyed Veronica Parker. “Are you worried about me?”
Veronica did not understand why he needed to ask this when his life was in danger. Was this the right time to care about whether she was worried about him or not?
“Just stop talking and we’re on our way to the hospital.” Veronica was getting worried with each passing second. “Leo!”
She felt coldness washing through her on their way to the hospital.
She knew exactly why Toby got hurt.
The gunshot was supposedly for her, but Toby pushed her away and took the bullet in her stead.
She didn’t expect Elton to take a move that soon! He was quick to have plotted an ambush for her.
If it weren’t for Toby, she’d be lying lifeless on the bathroom floor earlier!
Tears found their way out of Veronica’s eyes at the mere thought of Toby’s gunshot wound.
“How do you feel?” She was pressing his wound with a white towel which was already stained with blood! Toby’s face was even paler than when they carried him from the lavatory. “Leo, please drive faster!”
Leo stepped on the accelerator and the car zoomed.
Toby grabbed Veronica’s trembling hands. “If I die at this very moment, would you remember me?”
Those words brought tears in Veronica’s swollen eyes. “What are you talking about? You are not going to die!”
“All people will die eventually.” He looked at her affectionately.
“No, you’re not going to die! Please stop saying any more nonsense.” She felt an uncomfortable lump in her throat as she tried to convince herself more than Toby.
He took her in his arms.
“Don’t move, I’m pressing your wound.” She was nervous, and all she could think of was that it’s her fault why Toby was there. It should’ve been her.
Toby inclined his head on her slender shoulder. “Let me lean on it, I’m bleeding too much and I feel dizzy already.”
“We’ll be at the hospital soon. It’s going to be all right, do you hear me? It’s going to be all right. Please, hold on a little longer!”
But she didn’t hear him say anything.
Veronica hoped that he had just fainted, and cried, “Toby, I won’t allow you to die. I won’t allow it! Grandma is gone, Isabella is gone, you have to stay with me! I’m begging you, Toby. Toby!” She bursted into tears, “Toby! We’re almost at the hospital. Hang in there! I won’t let anything happen to you. Nothing bad’s going to happen to you as long as I’m here.”
She then turned to Leo. “Leo, please hurry up!”
“Toby, I won’t let you die, do you hear me? If you die, I will haunt you even after death!”
“You don’t have to, you know? Since when have you become a martyr?” He suddenly asked.
Her body became stiff upon hearing his playful remark and scolded him, enraged that he made her look like a fool. “You scared me on purpose!”
“Veronica, let’s start over.”
She only closed her eyes and wept even more. “Stop it.”
“Fine.”
“I take it back! I would rather you say something than remain silent.” Veronica feared that he would fall asleep and not wake up again.
“Can I really say anything?”
“Go ahead and talk. I’ll be here listening to whatever you have to say. Just please, I need to be sure you won’t fall asleep.” Veronica terribly insisted.
“I love you.”
She felt her insides trembling and she could no longer choke back the lump in her throat as her tears endlessly fell.
Of all the things that he had to say, those words were the only ones that she least wanted to.
She forbade herself from wanting to hear those words from Toby.
“Veronica.”
She didn’t say anything and continued to drench her cheeks with her tears
Toby was rushed to the emergency room and Veronica wanted to accompany him until there, but she was blocked by the doctor and nurses, prohibiting anyone other than the patient and the hospital staffs from entering.
Veronica Parker couldn’t see anything when the door was shut close, let alone the situation for Toby from the other side of the door!