“Okay, Victor, please. I’m begging you to let him go,” Estelle said, her expression still showing little emotion.
Victor chuckled, “Begging won’t change anything. Haha!”
Growing frustrated, Estelle said, “Victor, you…”
“I just suggested you give it a try, but I never promised to agree even if you begged,” Victor said, appearing innocent. “Miss Hudson, you’re too naive. Women like you are easily fooled by bad men.”
“I’ve never been fooled by any bad man. I’ve only been in a relationship with Cristofer,” Estelle retorted.
“So, he’s your first love? No wonder you find him unforgettable,” Victor remarked.
“Can’t you just let him go? Do you have to kill him?” Estelle asked.
“Yes,” Victor answered firmly, “He has to die.”
Estelle sighed heavily, feeling helpless, and remained silent.
“Why not keep trying to persuade me?” Victor teased her.
“No matter how hard I try, I can’t change your mind. So, what’s the point?” Estelle replied. “Besides, I don’t want to try because I don’t want you to mock me again.”
Hearing her words, Victor laughed and said, “Enough! Let’s go. Cristofer has been watching us whispering to each other intimately for a long time. He must be heartbroken.” Then he tightened his grip on Estelle’s waist and walked toward Cristofer with her.
As the two of them walked up to Cristofer, Cristofer had been fixing his eyes on Estelle. Feeling his burning gaze, Estelle didn’t dare to look at him.
Coming to a halt in front of Cristofer, Victor greeted him with a smile. “Mr. Hans, you’re a man of your word. You came alone as promised and even left your car behind.”
Cristofer finally shifted his attention from Estelle to Victor. He asked, “What do you want from me?”
Victor gestured towards a nearby hill and explained, “Estelle accidentally dropped my phone in the valley. Mr. Hans, would you be so kind as to retrieve it for me?”
Upon hearing this, Cristofer’s face darkened. He seemed about to say something but then hesitated. “Our issues don’t involve Estelle. Can we speak privately?”
After a moment of consideration, Victor agreed, saying, “Sure, we can talk privately.”
Estelle, however, interrupted them as they were about to leave. “Wait. I want to go with you.”
Victor chuckled at her insistence. “Afraid he might harm me? Don’t worry, Mr. Hans isn’t one to harm others.”
Estelle hurriedly walked over and grabbed Victor’s arm. “I can’t be at ease. I need to go with you.”
Turning to Cristofer, Victor asked, “Mr. Hans, does it bother you if she joins us?”
Cristofer shook his head and replied, “No, it’s fine. Let’s go.” He took his eyes off Estelle and headed towards the hill.
The three of them walked to a nearby small hill. The mountainous area had a stronger wind, making Estelle feel even colder and causing her to shiver. Seeing her discomfort, Cristofer tried to take off his coat despite wearing just a hospital gown underneath.
Estelle stopped him, saying, “I’m fine. There’s no need to take off your coat.”
Victor, on the other hand, suggested, “I can hold you closer to keep you warm.”
Without a word, Estelle stepped back and walked behind the two men. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Cristofer had unbuttoned his coat and his hospital gown flapped in the chilly wind.
Choosing not to rebutton his coat, Cristofer lowered his head, wore a self-mocking smile, and posed a question, “If I die, will you forgive me?”
With raised eyebrows, Victor replied, “Certainly, I will.”
“I’m not asking you. I’m asking Estelle,” Cristofer clarified. “Star, because of me, you almost lost your life once. Now, I’m repaying my debt with my life. Will you forgive me?”
Victor interjected, “You’re going to die anyway. Does it really matter if she forgives you?”
“It matters to me. I’ve done terrible things and hurt Estelle deeply. I carry a heavy sense of guilt,” Cristofer explained while looking at Estelle. “Estelle, I may not be able to get you back in this life, but I hope to be with you in the next life.”
Victor chimed in again, “Next life? Do you believe in reincarnation?”
“Yes, I do,” Cristofer affirmed.
“It seems like you’re mentally prepared for death, Mr. Hans,” Victor smirked.
Cristofer had a rush of emotions but struggled to find the right words to say to Estelle. Despite his intention to communicate, he found himself speechless when he looked at her. After a prolonged silence, he chose not to speak to her at all.
Regaining his composure, Cristofer addressed Victor instead, “My grandfather is old and ailing, and his time is limited. If you seek revenge against the Hans family, focus your attention on me. Spare my grandfather and let him spend his remaining days in peace. I’ve arranged for York to be confined in my villa. You can deal with him as you please. If you’re unaware of the villa’s location, you can ask Estelle to guide you there. As for the Hans family’s assets…”
Victor interjected, “Have you already transferred all of the Hans family’s assets to me?”
Cristofer responded honestly, “No, I haven’t. To be frank, I don’t entirely trust you, so I’ve placed the Hans family’s assets under the control of my three children. If you treat Estelle and the children well, you may gain access to the assets with their approval. If not, you won’t receive a cent.”
Upon hearing that Cristofer had transferred the family assets to his children, Victor’s expression shifted from a smile to a dark scowl.
The wind grew fiercer, causing Estelle to shiver, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, a sense of foreboding lingering.
“I knew you wouldn’t compromise easily,” Victor sneered. “As expected, you didn’t transfer the assets to me as you promised.”
Cristofer responded with a cool tone, “I didn’t transfer them directly to you because I knew you wouldn’t uphold your promise to treat Estelle and the children well. We’re twins, after all. I know you well.”
Victor chuckled, “Having a twin brother is a double-edged sword, indeed. It lets us understand each other deeply, but it also exposes our weaknesses.”
Cristofer agreed with a nod, then turned his gaze toward the forest where they had stood moments ago. “Is that forest where you’ve chosen as my resting place?”
Victor grinned, “Yes, indeed. How do you like it? It offers a serene environment with fresh air, and you’ll have a view of the stars every night. Aren’t I a considerate brother?”
Cristofer glanced at the forest and nodded slightly, “It’s not bad, though somewhat remote.”