Upon seeing their names on the form, the doctor displayed a hint of surprise and asked, “Christina has taken her mother’s family name?”
Cristofer confirmed, “Yes, she carries my wife’s family name.”
“An excellent choice. By the way, don’t forget to provide your blood types here,” the doctor reminded him.
Cristofer acknowledged the request and proceeded to fill in their blood types. He had type O blood, while Estelle had type A. “I’ve completed it, Doctor. Please take a look,” he said, handing over the form.
Upon reaching the section with blood types, the doctor quickly reviewed the form and raised a puzzled question, “Sir, are you sure you haven’t made a mistake with the blood types? You have type O blood, and your wife has type A. However, to my knowledge, Christina has type B blood.”
Cristofer let out a sigh. Explaining Christina’s true identity in a few words was challenging, so he opted for brevity. “Christina is our adopted daughter,” he stated simply.
“I understand.”
“Doctor, Christina believes we are her biological parents. She’s still very young and has just undergone surgery. Could you please keep this information a secret from her?” Cristofer requested.
With a kind smile, the doctor agreed, saying, “Certainly. I’ll keep the secret. No need to worry.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
After leaving the doctor’s office, Cristofer asked about the location of the asepsis ward from a nurse and promptly made his way there. As he rounded the corner, he spotted Estelle standing outside the ward, her back turned to him, her hand resting on the window of the door, her gaze fixed on Christina.
Cristofer approached her quietly and softly called her name, “Estelle.”
Startled by his voice, Estelle turned around, her eyes still filled with worry. “Oh, you’re back. What did the doctor say?”
“He just needed me to fill out a form. Don’t worry too much. Christina will recover soon,” Cristofer reassured her.
A relieved smile crossed Estelle’s face as she said, “Thank you, Cristofer. Christina isn’t related to you by blood, yet you did everything in your power to save her. I’m so grateful for what you’ve done. If you hadn’t persuaded York to sign the donation agreement, Christina might have…”
Cristofer interrupted gently, “It’s all in the past now.”
Concerned, Estelle asked, “What do you plan to do about York? He must despise you intensely. He’s a vindictive and malicious man. I worry that he’ll seek revenge in the future. Please be cautious and watch your back.”
Cristofer responded with a wry smile, “Don’t worry. He won’t be able to harm me.”
Estelle nodded slowly, recognizing the truth in his words. ‘With Cristofer’s current power and status, it would indeed be challenging for York to even get close to him, let alone pose a threat.’
“Okay, Cristofer, thank you once again,” Estelle expressed her gratitude sincerely, bowing to him as a sign of her appreciation.
“Estelle…” Cristofer sighed inwardly. He couldn’t help but reflect on their current situation. ‘Who could have predicted that we would end up like this? We used to love each other deeply, and now we’re like strangers.’
****
On their way back home, Estelle asked Cristofer, “After tomorrow, our relationship will end. What’s your plan for tomorrow?”
When Cristofer heard this, his heart sank, and his eyes showed a hint of sadness. While driving, he said, “I have some personal affairs to deal with and won’t be at home. You will move away soon. I’ll ask Eva to go to the Hans’ Residence and help you pack up your belongings tomorrow.”
The smile on Estelle’s face froze. “Okay.”
“Don’t live in the Rose Garden anymore. It will be demolished soon, and It’s dangerous to live there. I’ll ask Eva to move your belongings to Room 1231 of the Grand Hotel of Hadale City. You can stay there for the time being. When you and Mr. Mysterious find a new place to live, I’ll ask someone to send them to you.”
After hesitating for a while, Estelle said, “In fact, I don’t want to move. After all, Grandpa Gary is still…”
Before Estelle could finish her words, Cristofer interjected, “You don’t need to fret over this. I’ll handle the explanation. Estelle, your focus should be on how to find happiness in the days ahead.”
Curious, Estelle asked, “How will you explain it to him?”
Cristofer comforted her with a gentle tone, “I’ll provide him with a reasonable explanation. Don’t worry.”
Sensing his somber mood, Estelle decided not to press further. She settled into the passenger seat, looking out the window in silence.
****
Meanwhile, the Hans’ Residence buzzed with lively energy, thanks to the presence of the children. Gary’s condition had noticeably improved today, and his spirits were high.
Luke, who had just checked Gary’s blood pressure, wore a wide grin as he delivered the news. “Old Mr. Hans, your blood pressure is back to normal today!”
Amidst the joyful commotion, Yohan and Yvonne enthusiastically play with a mound of toys. Their adorable antics brought Gary a constant smile, dispelling any discomfort he might have felt. He couldn’t help but say, “Seeing my great-grandchildren makes all my troubles vanish!”
Yohan dashed over to Gary, with Yvonne following behind, and declared with excitement, “Great Grandpa, when I grow up, I’ll become a pilot and take you on trips around the world!”
“You want to be a pilot in the future? That sounds wonderful! I’ll eagerly await the day you can fly me around!” Gary responded with delight.
Standing beside him, Yvonne chimed in sweetly, “Great-grandpa, when I grow up, I’ll bake lots of delicious cakes for you!”
Chuckling warmly, Gary expressed his gratitude, saying, “Haha, that’s lovely. Thank you both. You’re both wonderful children.”
At that moment, Cristofer and Estelle returned, and Gary immediately turned his eyes toward them, concern evident in his eyes.
Understanding Gary’s worries about Christina, Cristofer offered a comforting smile. “Grandpa, the surgery went well. Christina is now in the asepsis ward under observation. The nurses are taking excellent care of her. The doctor mentioned that if her vital signs remain stable, Christina will be moved to the private ward in three days.”
Gary’s face lit up with relief and happiness as he exclaimed, “That’s wonderful news!”
Listening to their conversation, Luke felt relieved. He let out a heartfelt sigh and said, “Mr. Hans, it’s great to see things improving.”
“Yes, it’s wonderful!”
“Mr. Hans, Estelle, you’ve had a long day and must be exhausted. It’s time to get some rest. I’ll look after the kids. You don’t need to worry,” Luke assured them.
“Thank you, Uncle Luke,” Cristofer expressed his gratitude.
“No need to mention it.”