Through the frosted glass of the bathroom door, Estelle could see a vague, dark figure on the floor, suggesting that Cristofer had fallen.
“Why did you fall?” she inquired.
Instead of answering her question, Cristofer asked, “Has the weather changed?”
Estelle turned her gaze towards the window and realized that the wind had intensified, causing the trees’ branches to sway vigorously.
“Yes, the weather has changed,” she confirmed.
“Every time the weather shifts, my arm…” Cristofer’s words trailed off as he was overwhelmed by the intense pain. He clenched his teeth, hoping the agony would subside soon.
Outside the door, Estelle grew increasingly anxious. “What if… What if I come in and help you? The door is jammed, and even if I call Uncle Luke, he might not be able to fix it quickly. You can’t remain on the damp, cold floor in this condition.”
Struggling to breathe through the pain, Cristofer hesitated before responding, “But… I’m naked, Star. Please, call Uncle Luke and ask him to assist me.”
Hearing the pain in his voice, Estelle’s heart ached. After a few moments of contemplation, she made a bold decision. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the bathroom door.
As she stepped inside, a wave of warm steam enveloped her. Estelle waved her hand to clear the steam and was met with the sight of a figure lying on the floor.
“Cristofer!” Estelle hurriedly approached him and crouched down beside him. Despite the difficulty, she managed to loop his right arm around her neck and began the arduous task of helping him up.
“Hold on, Cristofer. Try to muster some strength. I’ll get you out of here,” she reassured him.
“Star, you…” Cristofer started to protest.
“Save your breath. I’m closing my eyes, and I won’t be looking,” Estelle replied rapidly.
She supported him with every ounce of her strength, but her slender frame couldn’t bear Cristofer’s weight for long.
“Where’s your bedroom?” she asked, her eyes tightly shut.
“Right ahead to our right,” Cristofer responded.
“Okay… We’re almost there…” Estelle’s voice trailed off, growing softer and softer as she struggled to carry him.
It had been a strenuous effort, but Estelle managed to help Cristofer onto his bed. She quickly turned away and instructed him with her back facing him, “Cover yourself with the quilt for now.”
“Mmm…” Cristofer responded with a muffled sound. After a few moments, he spoke again, his voice now slightly hoarse and deep. “Okay, I’m covered.”
The familiarity of his voice briefly caught Estelle off guard, but she quickly dismissed any wandering thoughts, reminding herself, ‘Cristofer’s voice is hoarse due to his dry throat. Don’t overthink it, Estelle.’
Taking a deep breath, she turned back to see Cristofer lying on the bed, his face pale and his lips drained of color. He was breathing heavily, his head resting weakly to the side.
“Are you alright?” Estelle inquired, her concern evident.
Cristofer managed a slight nod and replied, “I’m okay.”
“Why is it hurting so much?”
“My arm sustained severe injuries in the car accident, and it left a lasting effect,” Cristofer explained with a bitter smile. “Whenever the weather turns bad, my arm starts hurting.”
“Do you have any painkillers?” Estelle asked.
“Yes, but I left them at the company and didn’t bring them with me today,” Cristofer replied. “Back when Vincent was my secretary, he used to fetch my painkiller medicine for me if I forgot them at the office. But now… Eva is a girl, and it’s late at night, with rain coming. I’d rather not ask her to fetch my painkiller medicine in such conditions. I can endure the pain. Don’t worry.”
When he spoke, his voice was weak, and he wrinkled his brow in pain. Turning his head slowly, he gently took Estelle’s hand and said, “I’ll be fine soon. Don’t show such an expression. I won’t die.”
Without saying anything, Estelle pulled her hand out of his.
Cristofer’s hand froze, and he was stunned for a while. After a few seconds of silence, he retracted his hand in embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”
Biting her lower lip, Estelle asked, “Was the car accident very serious?”
“Maybe. Honestly, I can’t remember it. When I woke up from the coma, I was in the hospital, intubated, and surrounded by a lot of medical instruments. I wasn’t discharged from the hospital until three months later.”
“You can’t remember a thing?” Estelle asked in astonishment.
“No. The doctor said that maybe it was because the collision was so severe that it caused severe brain damage, and I can’t remember everything about the car accident.”
“So… you don’t even know how the car accident happened?” Estelle asked further.
Cristofer quickly replied, “The person who sent me to the hospital said I was hit by a black car one night, and the driver fled the scene. It was raining heavily that night, and the surveillance video didn’t work due to a short circuit caused by the rain.”
“Did you ever find the driver who hit you later?” Estelle inquired.
“No,” Cristofer sighed deeply. “I’ve thought about it many times over the past years. I believe the car accident might have been a form of punishment from God because of all the terrible things I did to hurt you before. I feel like I deserved it.”
“Does that mean you’ll have to live with the sequela for the rest of your life?”
“Yes,” Cristofer replied. He then smiled wryly and added, “It’s not necessarily a bad thing. The pain is a constant reminder of how badly I treated you in the past and motivates me to treat you better in the future.”
Estelle frowned upon hearing this and remained silent.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Cristofer said gently. “The pain in my arm is nothing compared to what you went through during your battle with cancer. Sometimes, I even feel like the punishment I received is too light.”
Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of thunder rumbled menacingly, heavy rain suddenly began to pour, and large raindrops pelted against the windows.
“Are you still afraid of thunder?” Cristofer asked, recalling her past fear.
Estelle nodded but then shook her head, explaining, “I used to be afraid of it, but not anymore.”
“What helped you overcome your fear?” Cristofer inquired.
“The realization that I am the only one who can protect myself,” Estelle replied. “When I had someone protecting me, I knew he would come to my side, get soaked in the rain, and comfort me during thunderstorms. But unfortunately, he’s gone now. I realized that I must become stronger because no one will be there to tell me not to be afraid anymore. I needed to protect not only myself but also my three children. That’s how I managed to overcome my fear of thunder.”
“The person you’re talking about is Mr. Mysterious, right?” Cristofer asked.
Estelle nodded and said, “Yes.”