Casually shrugging his shoulders, Tim remarked, “I’m not concerned with those matters. Right now, I’m only concerned about Estelle. It’s clear that she wants to leave and doesn’t want to stay here with you.”
He approached Estelle and spoke gently, “Let’s go. I’ll take you and the kids back.”
Estelle, who had been staring at the motorcycle in a daze, finally looked away and inquired, “What brand is this motorcycle?”
“MV Agusta. Why? Are you into motorcycles?” Tim responded.
Shaking her head, Estelle sniffled and explained, “No, not really. I just feel a sense of familiarity when I see it.”
“Really?” Tim burst into laughter. “It’s the first time that I’ve heard someone use such words to describe this motorcycle.”
Estelle offered a bitter smile, her stare still fixed on the motorcycle as she softly murmured, “It’s just that it triggers that feeling…”
Tim noticed a change in her voice and glanced at her with concern, asking, “Are you crying? What’s the matter? Why would a motorcycle make you cry?”
As he moved closer to her, someone suddenly pushed him away. Tim initially thought it was Cristofer, and his irritation began to rise. However, his surprise grew when he realized it was Yohan who had pushed him.
With Yohan standing protectively in front of Estelle, his arms outstretched to keep Tim at bay, the scene seemed oddly poignant.
Yohan held his ground, his attitude quite serious. “Uncle Tim, please don’t come too close to my Mom when you’re talking to her,” he said firmly.
Tim managed a wry smile in response. “I promise I’m not a bad person.”
“Either way, stay away from my Mom,” Yohan insisted.
“Fine, fine,” Tim agreed, giving in. “I won’t get too close.”
Meanwhile, Estelle’s attention shifted as she asked, “How much does this motorcycle cost? Is it very expensive?”
“It cost more than twenty thousand dollars. It’s not expensive. Do you want to buy one?”
“Yes.” Estelle nodded.
Hearing this, Tim was a little surprised.
He was just asking casually and thought that Estelle would say no.
After all, the MV Augusta’s appearance wasn’t quite feminine, and it weighed nearly two hundred kilograms, making it challenging for women to handle.
“You… You want to buy one for yourself?”
“Yes.”
With his eyes full of disbelief, Tim asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Can you ride this kind of motorcycle?”
Shifting her gaze from the motorcycle to him, Estelle asked, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, actually,” Tim said, scratching his head. “Estelle, you have changed a lot.”
Estelle quickly responded, “It’s normal that people change as time passes by.”
“Estelle, if you want to make your daughter happy, there are other ways to do it without buying a motorcycle. Riding a motorcycle can be dangerous, you know. Do you realize how fast it can go? Its powerful engine and accelerator system can make it faster than a racing car.”
“I’m aware,” Estelle cut in, “I’ve ridden on a motorcycle of this brand before. I know how fast it can go.”
Fascinated by the motorcycle, Yvonne squirmed in Estelle’s arms and extended her hand towards it, saying, “Mom, I want to touch it.”
Amused, Tim laughed and remarked, “I’ll drive you back to the hotel now. You can touch it as much as you want!”
“Wow!” Yvonne’s eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing his remark.
“Yvonne has your eyes,” Tim couldn’t help but comment to Estelle.
Estelle smiled and nodded in response.
“It’s not safe for you to ride back on a motorcycle,” Cristofer interjected, his frustration evident. “Star, I can drive you back to the hotel.”
“No need, really. Just focus on your wedding preparations,” Estelle replied with a forced smile. “Don’t forget to send me an invitation. I’ll be sure to attend. After all…”
‘After all, you’re Mr. Mysterious’ twin brother. I’ll be there to represent him at your wedding,’ she thought.
“After all, what?” Cristofer asked.
“Nothing,” Estelle replied, shaking her head.
Tim started the engine, and Yohan, who had climbed onto the motorcycle, sat before him.
Estelle held Yvonne in her arms and got onto the pillion seat behind her.
“Let’s go!” Tim made a victory gesture to Cristofer, then put on his helmet and drove off with Estelle and the children.
Cristofer stood there with a clouded expression, his gaze fixed on them until they disappeared from view.
****
Tim was considerate, taking into account the safety of the children as he rode the motorcycle at a moderate speed. Eventually, he came to a gentle stop at the entrance of the Grand Hotel of Hadale City.
Yohan couldn’t contain his excitement, exclaiming, “This motorcycle is awesome!”
Yvonne chimed in, her enthusiasm obvious as well, and she clapped her hands, saying, “Yes, it’s so great!”
Observing how much the children enjoyed the motorcycle, Estelle’s spirits lifted, making her even happier than before.
Seeing the motorcycle before her, Estelle couldn’t help but be reminded of Mr. Mysterious’s motorcycle, it bore a striking resemblance to the one in front of her.
As she reflected on how Mr. Mysterious used to adore the motorcycle and how the children now held such fondness for it, her mood lightened considerably. The irritation caused by her encounter with Cristofer had swiftly dissipated.
Tim, seemingly amused, commented, “This is the slowest I’ve ever ridden a motorcycle. I almost felt like pedestrians were moving faster than us.”
Grateful for the ride, Estelle expressed her appreciation, saying, “Mr. Roberts, thank you for bringing us back.”
“Don’t mention it. I offered to bring you back just because I wanted to make Cristofer unhappy.”
“Oh, I see.” Estelle nodded.
Seeing Estelle believe his words, Tim couldn’t help saying with a wry smile, “Hey, you believe such nonsense? I’m just kidding. I have countless ways to make him unhappy if I really want to. Why should I have to go to that remote villa?”
Estelle smiled bitterly, thinking, ‘That villa is indeed very remote. It is so remote that there aren’t many surveillance cameras nearby, and it took Mr. Mysterious a lot of effort to find the evidence of Gretchen’s crime.’
Tim’s demeanor softened somewhat, and he commented, “Only when I visited the place today did I realize how remote it was, where you lived alone for four years. I can’t even imagine how you managed to get through those days by yourself.”
Estelle considered explaining but realized it wasn’t necessary. She then quickly changed the topic. “Mr. Roberts, are you available at the moment?”
Curious, Tim inquired, “What’s the matter? Do you need to discuss something with me?”
Estelle nodded, replying, “Yes. However, I need to settle the children into their rooms first. Can you give me a moment?”