“I have you by my side, and that’s all I need.”
“But I can’t provide you with a promising future like your benefactor.”
“I don’t need anything from you. Having you by my side is enough,” Mr. Mysterious assured.
Hearing this, Estelle felt a bit guilty and asked, “Will you regret giving up your promising future for me?”
“No, I won’t. I know what truly matters to me, so I’ll never have any regrets.”
Estelle felt relieved and nodded. “Alright then. We’ll leave as soon as the case is closed.”
“But the snow…” Mr. Mysterious sighed, saying, “I may not be able to fulfill your wish of seeing the snow in Hadale.”
Shaking her head, Estelle gently said, “Let’s forget about that wish. It was just a silly idea. You’ve already fulfilled so many of my other wishes, and that means a lot to me.”
“No, it’s not enough,” Mr. Mysterious replied softly. “I must make your wish come true. Remember when I proposed the Ferris Wheel? If I can make it snow in Hadale, you must keep your promise and marry me.”
Estelle found his determination amusing and said, “That wish is long forgotten. I don’t take it seriously anymore. You seem more childish about it than me.”
“Estelle, you know what? I miss our youth, when we were both carefree and naive. I wish I could go back in time and relive those moments. I would wait for you under the big banyan tree at Hudson’s House, and you’d wear the floral dress I got for you, then jump out of the window into my arms…”
Estelle’s reaction changed upon hearing this, and she asked suspiciously, “… The floral dress… Did you buy it for me?”
Mr. Mysterious then immediately realized that he had almost spilled the beans, and he quickly explained, “I bought you many dresses in the past, but back then, I couldn’t be with you and didn’t have the chance to give them to you and see you wear them. Some of the dresses were plain, some were plaid, and some were floral. But I think you look the most beautiful in floral dresses.”
Hearing this, Estelle blushed and lowered her head in shyness. “Cristofer asked me to wear floral dresses, but I just wouldn’t listen to him,” she said, thinking of the past.
“Really?”
“Yes. But later, I gradually found that floral dresses suited me well, so I often wore floral dresses. If you would like me to wear floral dresses, I’ll wear them more often.”
“You’ll wear floral dresses for me?”
“Yes,” Estelle nodded and smiled, “For you.”
“I am much luckier than Cristofer,” Mr. Mysterious hugged her tightly.
“Indeed, Cristofer…” Estelle mentioned with a forced smile. “The last time we met at my company, he mentioned having a new girlfriend.”
“Do you feel sad about it?” Mr. Mysterious inquired.
Estelle shook her head and replied, “No, I’m not sad. I genuinely wish him happiness.”
“Have you forgiven him for what he did to you in the past?” Mr. Mysterious asked.
After some thought, Estelle responded, “I’m not entirely sure. Maybe I’ve moved on and forgotten him. I don’t hold any grudges anymore, and I’ve let go of the past. Strangely, without his ruthless actions before, I might not have met you. So, in a way, his past actions led to something good for me.”
Mr. Mysterious moistened his lips and couldn’t help but feel sorrowful. “You genuinely don’t harbor any hatred towards him now?”
“I have no feelings for him now, no love and no hatred. The relationship between us has come to an end, and both of us have started a new life. It’s time to move on.”
“You are right.”
“Now, let’s drop this topic and get down to business,” Estelle urged him.
“What?” Mr. Mysterious asked in confusion.
“Let me check on your wound!” Estelle gently let go of Cristofer and unzipped his jacket.
After stripping him of his jacket and putting it on the shelf aside, she saw his wound and was stunned immediately.
“Oh, my God!” Estelle exclaimed.
Mr. Mysterious’ left arm had been soaked in the rain for a long time, and the edge of the wound was white and swollen at this moment. Besides, the sutures were broken, and the wound had opened up and was covered by blood, which looked shocking.
Seeing Estelle frown tightly, Mr. Mysterious comforted her, “It’s okay, Estelle. Don’t panic.”
“What happened to you today?” Estelle inquired.
“I’m alright. The roads were slippery due to the rain, and I had a motorcycle accident on my way back. The fall was quite severe, and I couldn’t get up immediately. The wound got soaked in rainwater and worsened,” Mr. Mysterious explained.
“I don’t believe it,” Estelle replied, recalling a past incident. “Last time, you injured your arm and claimed it was from a motorcycle accident. I can’t trust you this time.”
“I assure you, I’m not lying,” Mr. Mysterious insisted.
Estelle looked into his eyes with doubt, trying to gauge the truth of his words.
Seeing his serious and sincere expression, she finally felt relieved and said, “Please drive safely at all times. I didn’t pressure you to come back quickly. In bad weather like this, you should take it easy while riding the motorcycle.”
“I know you’re scared of thunder, so I wanted to return as soon as possible,” Mr. Mysterious explained quickly.
Hearing his concern, Estelle was touched, her nose twitched, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“That’s how it was… Don’t worry. I won’t be afraid of thunder anymore. I’m a mother of two children now, and I’ll be strong and fearless,” she said softly.
“No matter how many children you have, it’s okay to be scared. Just tell me if you’re afraid. I’ll be there for you,” Mr. Mysterious promises to her.
Estelle sniffed, smiled through her tears, and said, “You almost make me cry. But I won’t. I’m a strong woman now.”
Mr. Mysterious smiled back and said, “Yes, indeed. My Star is the strongest.”
“What did you call me?”
“Star,” Mr. Mysterious answered, smiling. “I talked to Henry for a long time in the welfare house that day. He is an angel. He can sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star very well.”
Thinking of Henry, Estelle let out a deep sigh, saying, “I wonder how he is doing now.”
“He’s doing well now,” Mr. Mysterious reassured. “Justin informed me that Rebecca takes excellent care of Henry every day. She used to envy you for having such an adorable son like Yohan. Now, she’s delighted to have a cute son without going through childbirth. By the way, Henry has forgotten that his mother passed away. So, when you meet them next time, make sure to share the same story as Rebecca if he asks about his mother’s whereabouts.”
Estelle nodded and said, “Alright.”