Meanwhile, when Estelle descended the stairs, she found the three kids had already finished their hot chocolate and headed to the backyard with their pockets full of cookies. They wanted to check if the goldfish in the pond had grown. Luke sat alone on the couch, waiting for her. With a smile, he asked, “Estelle, how’s Mr. Hans?”
“The hot coffee burned his lap, but it’s not too serious,” Estelle replied with relief. She added, “Please take good care of him. He won’t apply the medicine if he doesn’t want to. He can be quite stubborn.”
Luke had witnessed Cristofer’s stubbornness growing up, so he understood it well. He assured Estelle, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he uses the medicine and keep a close eye on him every day. He’ll listen to me when I become stubborn and annoying.”
Estelle nodded, briefly recalling the days after Cristofer broke his leg while playing football. However, she decided to stop dwelling on those memories because the more she thought about them, the more miserable she felt.
Feeling that it was time for her to leave, Estelle smiled and looked at Luke, saying, “Uncle Luke, you’re familiar with the kids’ school requirements, so I don’t have to worry about them when they’re in your care. I still have a lot of work waiting for me at the company, so I should get going. If the kids start missing me, just give me a call, and I’ll come to pick them up.”
As she turned to make her exit, Luke hurriedly interjected, “Why don’t you join us for breakfast before you leave? The cookies are ready, and it would be a shame if you didn’t try them. Let me prepare a cup of hot chocolate for you.”
Estelle replied sincerely, “I already had breakfast before coming here.” She was concerned that if she stayed any longer, the children might return from the yard and team up with Cristofer to convince her to stay. She didn’t want to find herself unable to leave in the face of their persuasions.
Realizing that breakfast wouldn’t deter Estelle, Luke thought of another approach. He suggested, “At least say goodbye to the children. I wouldn’t know how to explain if they ask where you’ve gone.”
“It’s fine. Yohan is very thoughtful and mature,” Estelle assured him with a smile. “Yvonne and Christina will be fine with his explanation.” She had great confidence in her son and believed that this response would leave Luke with no further excuses to keep her there. She suddenly felt relieved.
As expected, Luke couldn’t find any more excuses to keep Estelle there, but he still didn’t want to let her go. He gently held her arm and asked, “Estelle, why don’t you join us for dinner tonight? You rarely visit, after all. I’ll instruct the chef to prepare your favorite dishes.”
Estelle hadn’t anticipated this invitation and felt a bit awkward. She replied hesitantly, “I’ll… I’ll pass. My mom is waiting for me at home, and there’s no special occasion today.”
Luke persisted, “It doesn’t have to be a special day for us to have dinner together. Plus, you look so thin. I can tell you’ve been really busy lately. I know you’re just like Mr. Hans, acting tough and neglecting your health. You must come tonight. Or you can take the kids with you. I won’t babysit them for you.”
Estelle quickly suggested, “How about another day? I promise I’ll join you for dinner when I’m less busy.”
Luke didn’t buy it. He replied sternly, “Do you think you’ll remember to do it when I forget about it later on?” ‘I met you when you were just a young girl, and I’ve aged over the years, but I’m not naive.’ With that in mind, he added directly, “Don’t try to fool me. I’m more savvy than you might think.”
Estelle had always been respectful towards her elders and wasn’t sure what to say in this situation. Worried that she might be late for work, she decided to say, “You can trust that I won’t deceive you. Besides, there’s no way I could deceive someone like you, is there?”
Luke beamed at her response and said, “Then come tonight. It won’t take up much of your time.”
“Alright, I’ll come after work and have dinner with you and the children,” Estelle reluctantly agreed, relieved that Luke was finally letting her go. As she was about to leave, Vincent descended the stairs and hurriedly informed her, holding a bag, “Wait a moment, Mrs. Hans, you left your bag upstairs.”
“Oh, thank you,” Estelle exclaimed, realizing she had brought something with her today, only thinking about work until now. She spotted her bag and finally remembered she had it with her.
Vincent quickly added, “Mr. Hans found it and asked me to give it to you. I thought you had already left for your company, but it seems you’re still here.”
He appeared pleased, but Estelle had mixed feelings upon hearing this. She glanced at the second floor subconsciously and spoke in a hushed tone, “Please convey my gratitude to him.” Then she hurriedly made her way outside, not noticing that Cristofer was standing on the second floor, watching her until she had gone. He only returned to his room after she was out of sight.
When Estelle arrived at the company, Eva happened to be taking some unnecessary documents to the shredder. She jokingly remarked, “Estelle, you’re the boss of the company. Shouldn’t a boss be immune to being late? If I were a boss, I wouldn’t even bother coming to my own company.”
Estelle playfully retorted, “If every boss were as lazy as you, countless companies would go bankrupt each year.” She then asked, “Do we have anything special planned for today?”
Eva activated the shredder with a button press and, while it hummed, retrieved her iPad to check the day’s schedule. With a cheerful tone, she responded, “We’ve landed a significant order, and today we’re meeting with the client to discuss their requirements.”
Estelle’s eyes lit up upon hearing about a new customer. “Please provide me with the details of the new client. Every order is crucial for the company, so we need to be well-prepared.”
Eva handed Estelle the iPad and displayed the document. “They’re organizing a vintage-style runway show and want us to design headwear for them.”
After reviewing the initial information, Estelle confidently declared, “They require American-style jewelry to complement the clothing. I assume they chose to work with us based on our previous projects.”
****
After taking control of Hudson Group, Estelle changed her father’s cautious approach and focused on creating bold and modern jewelry. It wasn’t easy at first, but her jewelry quickly gained attention for its unique and stylish designs. They started receiving numerous orders.
Eva quickly reviewed the company’s orders and remarked, “I admit, I was worried when you first talked about transforming the company. But once I saw the products, my worries disappeared.”