“Sir, have you given the dog a name?” Estelle inquired.
“It’s just a dog. It doesn’t need a name,” Impostor Mr. Mysterious remarked casually.
Estelle bit her lip and questioned, “So, how have you been addressing her in the past few years?”
“I’ve just been calling her ‘Dog,'” Impostor Mr. Mysterious replied casually. “Is there a problem with that?”
“Could I give her a name then?” Estelle inquired.
Impostor Mr. Mysterious suddenly sounded impatient. “There’s no need to name it. It’s just a dog. I provide it with food and water every day; that’s sufficient. Giving it a name is pointless. Estelle, take me back to the Hans’ Residence tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?!” Estelle exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes, the sooner I return to the Hans family, the better.”
“But tomorrow, I…”
“What’s the matter? Do you have plans for tomorrow?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious asked, furrowing his brow.
“Sir, Christina is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. I need to coordinate with the hospital regarding the procedure and her treatment plan. Also, would you like to see the children? Yohan has grown quite a bit, as has Yvonne. And Christina…”
“Estelle!” Impostor Mr. Mysterious interrupted impatiently. “Four years have passed; it’s natural that the children have grown. I don’t need you to tell me that.”
Estelle’s lips tightened, and she fell silent. His unfamiliar attitude towards the dog, the children, and herself left her wondering if time had changed him or if he was treating her this way because he had read the letter Nelson had forced her to write.
“Sir, I didn’t want to write those hurtful words. I had no other choice at the time. Mr. Lopez said he wouldn’t save you unless I wrote it. Please don’t hate me. I can explain,” Estelle pleaded.
Impostor Mr. Mysterious suddenly appeared confused. “What letter are you talking about?”
“Didn’t Mr. Lopez show you the letter?” Estelle inquired.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Impostor Mr. Mysterious replied, his patience wearing thin. “Tell me when I can return to the Hans’ Residence with you and reveal our relationship to everyone. I don’t want to keep hiding and living a life where no one cares about me.”
Estelle then questioned, “Why are you in such a rush?”
“Aren’t you in a hurry?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious retorted, looking displeased. “We’ve only been able to be together secretly, and sometimes we could only meet at night. Don’t you want our relationship to be public?”
“I do. I’ve always wanted our relationship to be public…”
“Then take me back to the Hans’ Residence as soon as possible. Waiting is the last thing I like,” Impostor Mr. Mysterious declared.
Estelle, without uttering a word, scrutinized him with a long, searching gaze.
Noticing Estelle’s scrutiny, Impostor Mr. Mysterious realized that he shouldn’t have displayed such an attitude towards her. He cleared his throat and promptly shifted back to his previous, gentle demeanor. “I apologize for getting carried away earlier. Let’s not discuss that now. Estelle, have some coffee while it’s still warm. It won’t taste good once it gets cold.”
“Estelle?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious chuckled and continued, “Are you upset with me? I’m sorry. I acted too impatiently. I won’t do it again. Can you forgive me?”
Estelle turned her head to look at the cup of coffee on the coffee table. When Impostor Mr. Mysterious had handed her the cup earlier, it was scalding hot, making it almost impossible for her to hold. Consequently, she had set it on the table.
“Sir.”
“Yes?”
“I can’t drink hot beverages. Have you forgotten that?”
Upon hearing Estelle’s comment, Impostor Mr. Mysterious appeared momentarily surprised. He then smiled and responded, “I’ll cool it down right away. Just give me a moment.” Saying this, he picked up the hot coffee cup and headed into the kitchen.
With him out of the living room, Estelle suddenly felt more at ease and began to look around.
The living room was in disarray since Nelson’s men had combed through the place and confiscated all of Mr. Mysterious’ belongings. The table was covered in a thick layer of dust, revealing that no one had been here for quite some time.
Observing the key in the door’s lock, she approached, removed it, and placed it on the cabinet near the entrance. She and Mr. Mysterious had once discussed changing the lock to a fingerprint scanner, but their busy schedules had prevented them from following through.
The bedroom, where Mr. Mysterious had spent most of his time during his stay, now stood empty. It used to hold a double bed, and sometimes, when Mr. Mysterious returned, she had already fallen asleep. When she woke up the next day, he had already left.
‘Mr. Mysterious is really like a superhero. He had to deal with a lot of things during the day and keep me company at night every day. He didn’t sleep much but always looked energetic. Alas. This neighborhood is going to be demolished soon. All things full of our wonderful memories about our past will disappear.’
“Estelle, I’ve cooled down the cup with cold water, so the coffee isn’t hot anymore. Here you go,” Impostor Mr. Mysterious informed her as he emerged from the kitchen, handing her the coffee again.
Estelle accepted the cup gently. There were still water droplets on the cup’s surface, and it felt pleasantly cool.
After sipping the coffee, she nodded and said, “The temperature is just right. Thank you.”
Hearing her response, Impostor Mr. Mysterious wore a gentle smile and inquired, “No problem. You’re planning to stay with me tonight, right?”
Estelle blinked, feeling flustered. She replied, “I was thinking about it earlier, but I should go back to the Hans’ Residence. The children are still young and need me. Plus, if I don’t return, Grandpa Gary might think there’s an issue between Cristofer and me.”
Impostor Mr. Mysterious slowly approached her, placing his hand against the wall to trap her between him and the wall. “But we haven’t seen each other in so long. Don’t you miss me? Don’t you want to stay with me?”
Estelle could feel his warm breath on her face as he spoke, sending shivers down her spine. Strangely, being in such close proximity to him made her feel uneasy, and she pushed him away with all her strength. “Please don’t…”
“Stop pretending. Don’t you love me deeply? You’ve finally seen me again. Don’t you want to stay with me?” Impostor Mr. Mysterious extended his hand and gently caressed her face. “They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Estelle, I’ve missed you so much. Stay with me tonight, okay?” As he spoke, he lowered his head to kiss her.
Estelle attempted to push him away in panic, but her efforts proved futile. Desperate, she accidentally spilled the coffee on Impostor Mr. Mysterious’ face.