It clicked for Cristofer upon hearing her words. “Oh, I remember now. You always asked the restaurant owner to add extra crispy beans and skip the coriander in your noodles.”
“Exactly.”
Cristofer nodded and proposed, “When are you planning to move?”
“This weekend,” Estelle replied.
Cristofer suggested, “How about waiting until next weekend? Spend one more weekend here before moving out?”
Since Cristofer respected her choice and was willing to compromise, Estelle also made a concession and agreed, saying, “Alright.”
“I bought a new car a few days ago. It will be delivered this weekend. What do you think?” Cristofer asked, picking up his phone and showing her a picture of the car.
Estelle knew Cristofer had a passion for cars. In the past, he had more than twenty cars of various colors in his garage. However, for her sake, he had sold all the cars when he was Mr. Mysterious, and now the garage was nearly empty.
Examining the car in the picture, she replied, “I’m not very knowledgeable about cars. You’re the expert when it comes to choosing them, so if you thought this one was good, it probably is.”
“Yes, the car’s performance is excellent. It’s relatively compact and suitable for women. I thought it looked stylish, and I believed you would like it, so I bought it.”
Surprised, Estelle asked, “You bought this car for me?”
Cristofer nodded and explained, “Yes, I did. Having a car will make it much more convenient for you to get around.”
Estelle hesitated. Although she had learned to drive while abroad, it had been a long time since she last drove, and she might be a bit rusty. Moreover, she was occupied with her company’s responsibilities daily and didn’t have the time to practice driving. So, she wasn’t sure if she could drive well even if she had a car.
Understanding her concerns, Cristofer continued, “Yohan is starting primary school soon, and Yvonne and Christina are going to kindergarten. Taking them to school in a taxi every day is inconvenient. I know you’d prefer to personally drop them off and pick them up from school instead of them taking the school bus. Furthermore, taxis don’t have child seats, which isn’t safe for the kids.”
Considering the logic in Cristofer’s words, Estelle made up her mind, thinking, ‘Okay. For the sake of the children, I’ll find time to practice driving regularly.’
“Don’t worry. Driving isn’t difficult. You just need to follow traffic rules. You learned to drive when you were overseas, didn’t you? After practicing for a few days, you’ll become a skilled driver,” Cristofer reassured her.
Still feeling a bit anxious, Estelle bit her lower lip.
Cristofer, noticing her concern, said gently, “Don’t worry. I’ll be your instructor.”
Hearing this, Estelle glanced at his legs and then at his arm. “You… will teach me?”
Cristofer clarified, “I’ll guide you through it, but I won’t need to use my arms and legs for teaching.”
Estelle pondered for a moment.
“Or would you prefer Rebecca to teach you?” Cristofer asked.
At the mere thought of Rebecca’s notoriously terrible driving skills, Estelle immediately shook her head. She thought, ‘If I had to choose between Cristofer and Rebecca as my instructor, I’d pick Cristofer without a doubt.’
****
Soon, the weekend arrived, bringing a lovely sunny day. Luke took the kids to the park for a picnic to give Cristofer and Estelle some space. He invited Aurora to join them.
When the children learned that Cristofer and Estelle couldn’t come along because they were busy, they were a bit disappointed at first. However, their disappointment turned into excitement. It was their first picnic, and they happily set off with Luke early in the morning.
After the children had left, Estelle and Cristofer headed to the garage for a driving practice session. Estelle sat behind the wheel, holding it with both hands, feeling a bit nervous.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Cristofer calmly guided her, saying, “… Turn the steering wheel to the left. That’s right, keep going. Okay, stop. Now, try reversing the car…”
After parking the car, Estelle checked the rear tire through the rearview mirror and realized she hadn’t reversed into the parking space correctly. She had practiced all morning but still struggled with parking. She couldn’t help but feel a bit down.
Cristofer remained patient. Seeing Estelle’s dejected expression, he comforted her gently, “You’ll get better as you get used to driving this new car. Let’s try again.”
“Okay,” Estelle agreed with a nod. She tried to reverse again but still struggled.
After a few more failed attempts, Cristofer sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration. Estelle was also baffled, unable to understand why she could drive well abroad but was struggling to park the car now.
Cristofer suggested, “How about reconsidering moving out? I can arrange for a driver to take you to work and the children to school. Once my legs are better, I’ll handle it myself.”
Determined, Estelle replied, “I’ll give it another try.”
Estelle dedicated nearly the entire day to practicing driving, and her legs felt sore. The thought of having to continue this for several more days left her feeling helpless.
Upon returning to the villa, she was so exhausted that she lay on the bed, face down, to rest. Cristofer couldn’t bear to see her in this state and suggested, “How about taking a break from your practice for a few days?”
‘Suspending practice would mean delaying my move-out date by a few days. I just want to improve my driving skills and move out as soon as possible.’ With that in mind, Estelle quickly got up and replied, “No, I can do it. I’ll take a shower first.” She grabbed clean clothes and headed to the bathroom.
While Estelle was in the shower, her phone on the bedside table rang. Cristofer saw that it was a call from Ms. Jaycox and, after a brief hesitation, answered it on Estelle’s behalf.
“Estelle, I’ve got fantastic news!” Bella’s joyful voice echoed from the other end. “The sales of my magazine have increased tenfold this time! And the jewelry you designed earlier is trending! You’re going to make a fortune this time! Roman was shocked by our success. I don’t think he’ll underestimate me anymore! It goes to show that women should be strong and have their own careers! Haha! I wonder what Mr. Hans will say when he finds out how amazing you are!”
“…”
“Estelle, are you there?”
“I’m happy for her,” Cristofer replied.
Hearing his voice, Bella was momentarily stunned, then asked, “… Is that Mr. Hans?”
“Yes, it’s me,” Cristofer confirmed. “Ms. Jaycox, thank you for collaborating with Estelle. If you ever need help in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”