Alexander could easily see their expressions since Alexander and Belle were seated across from Cristofer and Estelle.
“Cristofer, I have this peculiar feeling,” Alexander remarked.
“What is it?” Cristofer inquired.
“I always sense that you have two souls. One is distant and authoritative, while the other is gentle and nurturing.”
Belle quickly chimed in, “I thought the same thing.”
“Haha, Cristofer, are you living a double life? Just kidding, no offense intended. I’m merely pointing out that you seem unlike your usual self today. You make me think you’re not the same person from our video calls, as if you’re Cristofer’s twin brother,” Alexander playfully exaggerated.
Cristofer couldn’t help but smile wryly once more. “Alright, maybe I did act differently today compared to the past. The person you saw during our video calls is indeed me.”
“I was only joking. Don’t take it to heart.”
“Understood. It’s not a problem,” Cristofer replied. “Let’s enjoy our meal. We have a variety of Hadale’s specialties here. I hope you like them. It’s a shame we don’t have any red wine.”
“That’s fine. I’m not much of a wine drinker, and you can’t have it with your stomach condition. We can have a great meal without wine. Estelle, thank you for preparing this for us.”
Gary had been observing Cristofer and Estelle with a contented smile. After sampling the dishes, he expressed his satisfaction, saying, “The food is delicious. Estelle, you’re quite the cook. Cristofer is fortunate to have such a wonderful wife like you.”
He then turned to Cristofer, his tone turning more serious, and said, “Treat Estelle well and don’t upset her anymore, understood?”
Cristofer nodded earnestly and replied, “Understood. I’ll treat her well. You can trust me, Grandpa.”
“I hope you two can lead a happy life,” Gary said before his thoughts turned sad. “Our family isn’t very large now. If your brother were still with us…”
Before he finished his words, he was suddenly interrupted by a clatter.
Estelle, who had dropped her fork, bent to pick it up in fluster. When she straightened up, she bumped her head against the table so hard that the table even shook.
Seeing this, Cristofer immediately bent over and asked worriedly, “Star, are you okay?”
He reached out to touch her head to see if she was injured but accidentally touched the hot tears on her face.
“Star…”
“I’m okay,” Estelle sniffled and sat up in her seat, her eyes rimmed with redness. She reached for a tissue and wiped away her tears.
“Why are you crying?” Cristofer inquired.
“Well… it hurts quite a bit,” Estelle offered as an excuse. She then forced a smile and added, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine soon.”
Just then, Belle approached and examined the top of Estelle’s head. “It’s swollen. I’ll fetch you an ice pack. A cold compress can help reduce swelling and alleviate pain.”
“I’ll go get it for her,” Cristofer volunteered.
As he got up, Belle gently tapped him on the shoulder and signaled for him to remain seated. “You stay with Star. I’ll go get it.”
Cristofer nodded and retrieved a few more tissues, handing them to Estelle.
“Does it hurt that much?” He was at a loss, seeing Estelle shed tears.
Estelle remained silent.
“It definitely hurts a lot. Her head hit the table with a loud bang just now,” Gary explained.
Estelle, who finally had an excuse to cry, wept quietly, and tears kept dropping out of her eyes.
Seeing this, Alexander was a little overwhelmed and asked with concern, “Estelle, are you really okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
Shaking her head, Estelle said, “I’m okay. Don’t worry. I was too careless just now.”
“But you are crying so hard. It must hurt very much,” Alexander said, looking concerned.
Estelle then stood up and said apologetically, “Excuse me. I think I need a rest. Enjoy your dinner.”
Cristofer immediately stood up, too. “I’ll accompany you…”
“No, thanks,” Estelle refused him without hesitation before he finished his words. “I want to stay alone for a while.”
Before Belle returned from the kitchen, she hurriedly entered the guest room and closed the door.
In the dining room, everyone was concerned about her. Gary considered asking Luke to check on her in the guest room but was dissuaded by Cristofer.
“Grandpa, let Star rest alone for a while,” Cristofer suggested.
Hearing this, Gary sighed and agreed, “Although Star is prone to tears, I’ve never seen her cry so intensely. You should call the doctor to check on her.”
“Okay, I’ll call the doctor later,” Cristofer confirmed. Then he remembered Gary mentioning his brother earlier. “Grandpa, you mentioned my brother. Could you tell me more about him?”
At the mention of his twin brother, Gary’s face filled with sadness, and he sighed. He nodded slightly and began, “Back then, you were both healthy when your mother was pregnant with you two. Sadly, your twin brother passed away shortly after birth.”
Cristofer was taken aback by this revelation.
“When you both were born, you were this big and appeared healthy,” Gary illustrated using his hands. “However, the nurse discovered that your brother wasn’t breathing. His passing was a great blow to your mother, who fell ill from grief and took a long time to recover. To prevent her from falling ill again, your father and I never talked about your twin brother in her presence.”
“So… my brother…”
“Your father asked his friend to help bury your brother’s body not long after he died..” Gary explained.
“Where was he buried?” Cristofer inquired.
“I don’t know,” Gary admitted. “Perhaps it’s best that we don’t know; otherwise, visiting the cemetery would bring even more pain. Cristofer, you are my only grandson now. I hope you lead a healthy and happy life with Star forever.”
Cristofer wanted to nod, but on second thought, he didn’t. He pondered, ‘I can’t even get back together with Estelle, let alone live a happy life with her forever. If Mr. Mysterious were still alive, I might still have a chance to win Estelle back. I would treat her better than Mr. Mysterious did and prove I’m the right one for her.’
‘But Mr. Mysterious is gone. Estelle’s memory of him is carved in her heart, and she’ll never forget him. In her eyes, I’m the one who hurt her, while Mr. Mysterious is perfect. How can I compete with a perfect man in her memory? Maybe Estelle will never forgive me or return to me for the rest of our lives.’
“Grandpa, who took care of my brother’s burial back then?” Cristofer inquired.
“Estelle’s uncle. His name… I can’t recall it,” Gary replied.
“York?” Cristofer was taken aback.
“Yes, that’s right. York. Your father and Estelle’s father, George, were close friends, and he got to know York through George. At the time, York mentioned knowing a suitable place for your brother’s burial, and your father entrusted him with the task,” Gary explained. “Why do you inquire about this? Are you planning to find your brother’s grave?”
Cristofer nodded. “Yes, he’s still my brother. I think I should visit his grave each year.”
“Very well,” Gary agreed. “If you find his grave, lay a wreath of flowers there on my behalf.”