“Turn on the navigation system and verify the route,” he instructed.
“Of course, I’ll do that right away.”
The driver immediately turned on the navigation system and turned the car according to the voice prompt.
About five minutes later, the car left the rough path and nosed its way onto another road.
“Bang!”
Seated in the back, Cristofer was jolted forward and narrowly avoided colliding with the front seat due to the sudden inertia.
The driver stammered, “Um… I’m terribly sorry, Sir. I…”
Wearing a grim expression, Cristofer stepped out of the car to assess the situation. He realized that the driver had rear-ended the Porsche in front.
The impact resulted in a broken bumper on Cristofer’s car and significant damage to the rear of the Porsche.
The owner of the Porsche, a red-haired young man with arm tattoos, appeared visibly irritated.
As the red-haired young man emerged from his car, seemingly ready to argue, Cristofer asked him directly, “How much do you want?”
Taken aback by the question, the red-haired young man paused for a moment before adopting a fierce expression, retorting, “I won’t go easy on you! Do you have any idea who my father is? I won’t settle this unless you compensate me for my damages!”
He extended two fingers in front of Cristofer, a gesture signifying a demand for payment.
The young man appeared to be a heavy smoker, the scent of smoke clinging to him strongly. Disliking the pungent smell, Cristofer furrowed his brow and took a step back, clearly irritated, in an attempt to create some distance.
“Is two hundred thousand dollars enough? Cristofer said, retrieving his checkbook.
“I’ll transfer the amount to you,” Cristofer added, avoiding direct eye contact.
The young man was taken aback. He had car insurance covering the repair costs, which wouldn’t have amounted to much.
When he spotted Cristofer’s Maybach earlier, he assumed Cristofer was wealthy, aiming to extort twenty thousand dollars from him. Little did he expect that Cristofer would offer two hundred thousand dollars instead.
With a swift nod of approval, the red-haired man’s demeanor turned joyful.
Without engaging in further conversation, Cristofer handed over the check without uttering a word.
Once he received the check, the red-haired man swiftly drove away, concerned that Cristofer might change his mind.
“Sir, I’m incredibly sorry,” the designated driver approached, his expression guilty, hands nervously rubbing.
“I didn’t intend for this to happen. The road is dimly lit, and I couldn’t see his car clearly without streetlights.”
Cristofer gazed upwards, a frown on his face. He inquired, “Is it really dark?”
“Isn’t it?” The driver scratched his head and responded, “It’s pretty dark out here, making it hard to see clearly.”
Despite the driver’s assessment, Cristofer didn’t perceive the situation as being particularly dark.
Although it was already night and no streetlamp was here, he could see the surroundings clearly.
“Are you nearsighted?” he asked the driver with an annoyed look.
“No, I actually have very good vision!” the driver asserted.
“In that case, why couldn’t you see his car clearly?” Cristofer inquired.
Coincidentally, a passing driver overheard their conversation.
He addressed Cristofer, saying, “Sir, please don’t be mad at him. It’s not his fault. Hardly anyone can see properly on such a poorly lit road. Numerous accidents at this junction have occurred due to the lack of streetlights. I’ve personally witnessed many car accidents here.”
Another driver chimed in, “Absolutely right. I’ve reported this to the authorities multiple times. They should’ve installed street lights sooner, or more accidents will occur due to the poor lighting.”
Cristofer maintained a serious expression, refraining from responding to their comments.
‘Why can I see so well when others can’t? Could it be due to my exceptional eyesight?’
Chuckling at his own thoughts, Cristofer shook his head in disbelief.
“Sir, about the compensation…” the driver’s expression turned embarrassed as he continued, “I might not be able to afford much in terms of compensation. I don’t have much money, and I still worry about my child’s tuition fees…”
“You don’t have to compensate me,” Cristofer interjected, his tone steady. “The insurance company will take care of it. However, you were responsible for the accident, so I won’t be paying you for this ride.”
Hearing Cristofer’s response, the driver visibly relaxed and expressed his gratitude, “Thank you, Sir. Thank you so much!”
“You can go now,” Cristofer instructed.
“Of course. Sir, I’m genuinely sorry for the inconvenience I’ve caused you,” the driver apologized once more, offering a bow before departing.
Cristofer proceeded to contact his insurance company to initiate the necessary procedures.
Using his time wisely, Cristofer checked his emails on his phone while awaiting the arrival of the insurance personnel. In his inbox, he discovered that the human resources department had sent him Linda’s resignation application and the corresponding salary settlement information.
Upon reviewing the compensation figure, Cristofer promptly composed a reply. He instructed them to provide Linda with an additional year’s worth of salary as compensation.
****
Hadale was a bustling city that remained active even in the late hours, with streets teeming with cars.
The recent rear-end collision resulted in a traffic jam on the main road.
“Ugh! Looks like there’s a car accident up ahead. Estelle, are you in a hurry? If so, I can take a detour,” Rebecca suggested, honking the car horn.
“No, I’m not in a hurry,” Estelle replied, rolling down the car window to peer outside.
“It’s been three years. Hadale hasn’t changed much,” Estelle remarked, observing the city.
Rebecca countered, “Actually, it has changed. It’s turned into a congested city!” She expressed her frustration at the traffic jam.
Amused by Rebecca’s remark, Estelle couldn’t contain her laughter and responded, “Relax. We’ll just have to wait patiently.”
“Are you not concerned about Yohan and Yvonne? Those two little guys secretly hopped on a plane to Hadale. The plane may have already landed. It’s hard to predict how much longer we’ll be stuck here. We might end up arriving late,” Rebecca fretted.
Estelle reassured her, saying, “Don’t worry. Yohan is capable of handling things.”
“You’re right. Yohan is such a bright child,” Rebecca affirmed with pride. “He’s inherited his father’s intellect, but unlike his cold and heartless father, he’s gentle and thoughtful.”
As Cristofer was brought up in the conversation, Estelle fell silent.
Curious, Rebecca inquired, “How long are you planning to stay in Hadale this time?”
“It’s uncertain,” Estelle replied with a sigh. “The anniversary of my father’s passing is approaching, and my mother has been having dreams about him lately. We returned this time to visit his grave. Once that’s done, I’ll take her back to Randaw.”
Rebecca nodded in understanding, sighing herself softly.
“Estelle, why don’t you consider staying in Hadale? Your company is based here, and it would be more convenient for you to manage it if you’re in the same city. I’ve seen reports about Randaw going through political turmoil, and it doesn’t seem safe there right now.”
“I’m aware of the situation…”
“Do you have a boyfriend abroad?” Rebecca inquired with a hint of curiosity.