Estelle fell silent.
“Estelle, I just need to know that you’re safe. Please tell me who you’re with,” Cristofer urged.
“I’m with…” Estelle sighed, realizing that Cristofer wouldn’t give up unless she told him the truth. She admitted, “I’m with Mr. Mysterious.”
“What?!” Cristofer was shocked by her revelation.
“Mr. Mysterious has returned to me. Cristofer, we’ll continue our act in front of Grandpa Gary until he passes away. After that, we’ll go our separate ways and start anew,” Estelle explained.
“…”
“Cristofer? Cristofer?”
“…”
“Are you listening, Cristofer?”
“I’m listening,” Cristofer replied in a raspy and subdued voice. “Are you absolutely sure that the person with you right now is truly Mr. Mysterious?”
“Yes, he even brought the dog we used to raise together. The dog still recognizes me,” Estelle affirmed firmly.
“…”
“And he remembered the name I gave the dog,” Estelle added.
“I understand,” Cristofer said, his gaze shifting to his badly injured left arm. Then, with a half-joking, half-serious tone, he confessed, “Estelle, I have something to tell you.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
“I am Mr. Mysterious,” Cristofer declared.
“Are you out of your mind? Or is your mental state deteriorating again?” Estelle questioned.
“I’m not insane. I am genuinely Mr. Mysterious. I don’t know who the man with you is, but he must be an impostor.”
“Do you want me to call Dr. Stewart for you?” Estelle asked.
Cristofer smiled bitterly, his voice filled with despair. “Why won’t you believe me? I truly am Mr. Mysterious.”
“How can you prove it?” Estelle questioned.
“I…” Cristofer was momentarily at a loss for words.
“Mr. Mysterious has eaten the spicy dishes I’ve cooked. He can handle spicy food, but you can’t,” Estelle pointed out.
“…”
“Mr. Mysterious knows the specific floor and apartment we used to live in at Rose Garden. Do you?”
“…”
“Cristofer, please stop playing this kind of joke on me,” Estelle expressed her irritation.
Moistening his lips, Cristofer pleaded, “Do I sound like I’m joking? Estelle, I’m not lying to you. I’m genuinely Mr. Mysterious. Please believe me.”
Strangely, hearing his plea, Estelle felt a sense of déjà vu. She then said in a resigned tone, “Do you remember when I used to beg you to believe me in the same way? Back then, when I told you that the car accident involving your parents had nothing to do with me, did you believe me?”
“So it’s my fate that I can’t earn your trust, huh?” Cristofer said, his tone filled with sadness.
After a moment of silence, Estelle responded calmly and gently, “I’m not blaming you, and dwelling on the past is pointless now. Please stop bothering me, okay?”
Clutching the phone tightly, Cristofer continued, “Alright, but I have one request.”
“Are you still trying to prove that you’re Mr. Mysterious?” Estelle asked, sounding helpless. “The day before yesterday, you said you wouldn’t stand in the way if Mr. Mysterious returned to me.”
“Estelle, I’m not trying to stop you. Even though I haven’t fully regained my memory, everything I know now points to the fact that I can only be Mr. Mysterious! If you think I’m mentally unstable and talking nonsense, you can ask Geoffrey. He can vouch for me.”
“Geoffrey? He works for Nelson. I don’t trust you, let alone him,” Estelle remarked.
Cristofer was momentarily at a loss for words.
With a soft sigh, Estelle said earnestly, “Cristofer, it’s time for both of us to start anew. Let’s end our entanglement, okay?”
“Then promise me one thing, just one thing,” Cristofer insisted.
“Alright, go ahead.”
“Don’t block my phone number, okay?” Cristofer requested. “Call me immediately if you ever find yourself in danger.”
“Mr. Mysterious won’t harm me,” Estelle asserted calmly.
“Okay,” Cristofer replied, offering a bittersweet smile.
“Okay…”
****
After ending the call, Estelle suddenly felt a slight pain in her chest for no apparent reason. She placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes, waiting for the discomfort to pass.
“Estelle, what’s bothering you?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious inquired.
“Nothing,” Estelle replied, shaking her head.
“Who called you just now and upset you?” he asked.
“… It was Cristofer,” Estelle confessed.
Upon hearing this, Impostor Mr. Mysterious let out a brief, cold chuckle, a hint of cruelty flickering in his eyes before vanishing. “So, it’s my long-lost twin brother. Perhaps I should meet him sometime,” he remarked.
“Don’t you still need to keep your true identity a secret?” Estelle questioned, puzzled.
“I’ve hidden it for over thirty years. That’s long enough. I’m the Hans family’s grandson. With Grandpa’s health deteriorating, I should return to the family before he passes away,” he explained.
Somehow, Estelle felt that he meant more than he said. She softly reminded him, “Even though Grandpa Gary is seriously ill and may not have much time left, he’s been in better spirits lately and seems healthier than before. I don’t think he’ll pass away so soon…”
Raising an eyebrow, Impostor Mr. Mysterious handed her a cup of coffee from his hand and said, “Have some coffee.”
“Thank you,” Estelle expressed her gratitude and took the cup from him. However, she soon furrowed her brow.
With a glass of water in his other hand, Impostor Mr. Mysterious casually settled onto the sofa, crossing his legs. He took a sip of his coffee and smiled as he remarked, “He’s getting old, and death is inevitable.”
Estelle felt a strange feeling upon hearing this. She gently placed the cup back down and said with suspicion, “Mr. Mysterious, Grandpa and your parents didn’t abandon you. They believed you had died at birth and didn’t know you were still alive. If they had known, they would have done everything to bring you back to the Hans family.”
“But I don’t share your belief,” Impostor Mr. Mysterious responded with a false smile. “Estelle, not all parents in this world love their children, and not every child receives their parents’ affection. Favoritism exists.”
“You never had a good relationship with them. Why do you think they showed favoritism?” Estelle inquired.
“Who told you I never had a good relationship with them?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious retorted.
Estelle was left momentarily stunned and couldn’t find words to respond. “Sir, you’ve changed from how you used to be,” she finally managed to say.
Impostor Mr. Mysterious raised an eyebrow and replied, “People change as time passes. It’s been four years. Change is natural.”
The Samoyed dog was affectionate and particularly fond of Estelle. It rubbed its face against her legs and wagged its tail happily. Observing the dog, Estelle knelt down and gently petted its head. The dog responded by licking her palm with joy.