“But I’m really busy right now.” Estelle declined with a hesitant tone, her excuse sounding unconvincing. “I… I have a lot of work to handle. You know I’ve got a ton of things to catch up on after spending two days at your house.”
“What if I help you with your work?” Cristofer suggested.
Estelle held her phone tightly and replied awkwardly, “No, thanks. I.. I really need to start working now. Goodbye.”
“Wait!” Cristofer was afraid she might hang up, so he spoke urgently, “Okay, honestly, I miss you and want to see you, so…”
“You…”
After a moment of silence, Cristofer said softly, “I’m outside your building. If you’re not too busy, you can come downstairs.”
Hearing this, Estelle lifted the curtain, looked down, and spotted Cristofer’s car parked not far from the building. She immediately thought about his injured legs. ‘How could you drive here when your legs haven’t fully recovered? It’s dangerous! And… You might stubbornly wait for me if I don’t go outside to meet you. Am I right, Cristofer? What if your leg injury gets worse?’
Thinking about it, Estelle felt a bit annoyed, but she quickly got herself ready and discreetly moved through the rooms where most employees were working. She then made her way downstairs.
It wasn’t that she was worried about being seen by others, but she was concerned about gossip. After her encounter with Mr. Wern, Estelle realized that society wasn’t always friendly to women. It was often more challenging for women than men because people tended to link successful and attractive women with sexual scandals. Even though almost everyone knew about her relationship with Cristofer, Estelle was determined to rebuild Hudson Group on her own.
Cristofer had anticipated a long wait outside the building, so he was pleasantly surprised when he spotted Estelle at the gate. He gently opened his car door and greeted her, saying, “Hi, Estelle.”
“Where would you like to have lunch?” Estelle wanted to leave quickly to avoid being seen by others.
To her surprise, Cristofer handed her a lunchbox and said, “You can eat in your office or in my car if you don’t mind the limited space.”
The lunchbox held a delightful surprise. It contained a bowl of chicken soup in the bottom layer and various dishes on the top, making it look even more appetizing than some fancy restaurant meals.
Estelle was pleasantly surprised as she took the lunchbox and whispered, “I thought you were planning to take me to a restaurant. By the way, who prepared this meal for me?”
Cristofer was relieved that Estelle didn’t seem upset. He explained, “Mrs. Moorsum made it. I know you enjoy her cooking.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“Open it. Mrs. Moorsum mentioned she had a surprise for you and wouldn’t let me see it.”
Cristofer had only informed Mrs. Moorsum that he wanted to bring lunch for Estelle today without specifying the type of food he wanted. Consequently, he had no idea what was inside the lunchbox, and it felt like a mystery box to him.
Estelle placed the lunchbox on her lap and carefully uncovered one of the bowls, revealing neatly arranged ravioli inside. In another bowl was the salad she had praised a while ago. Various emotions welled up inside her. After Cristofer handed her a fork, she took a bite and smiled, saying, “It tastes just like the one we had at your house.”
“Great,” Cristofer breathed a sigh of relief and eagerly explained, “I was worried it wouldn’t taste as good after being in the car for a while, but it seems to have held up well.”
“Yeah, it’s delicious.”
“Alright, then, enjoy it quickly. It won’t be as tasty when it gets cold.”
Estelle wanted to ask Cristofer if he had already eaten, but the awkwardness made her hesitate. Instead, she began to savor the meal carefully, eating one ravioli and taking a sip of soup alternately. This way made her feel more at ease than hastily consuming takeout food in her office. Before long, she felt satisfied. Mrs. Moorsum had prepared an ample amount of food, and Estelle had only managed to finish half of the ravioli in the lunchbox. She held the box hesitantly.
“Why did you stop eating?” Cristofer wondered as he saw Estelle pause.
“Mrs. Moorsum made so much ravioli. I think there’s enough for two people. I can’t eat it all. Perhaps I’ll have the rest for dinner.”
“Are you sure you’re full now?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, give it to me. I haven’t had lunch yet.”
Estelle was taken aback when Cristofer took the lunchbox from her and began eating. She stammered, “But… why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could have saved some for you, but now…” She couldn’t help but think, ‘It’s become my leftovers…’
“Because I didn’t know how much you could eat,” Cristofer replied sincerely. “I understand you’ve been working tirelessly, and even during your lunchtime, you were still working instead of answering my calls. I wanted to ensure there was enough food for you.”
Upon hearing his words, Estelle was left momentarily speechless. She thought to herself, ‘What are you doing? Are you using my own excuse against me? You’re feeling rather bold today, Cristofer.’
Earlier, Estelle had forced herself to eat more ravioli, so there wasn’t much left, and it wouldn’t be sufficient for an adult man like Cristofer. Realizing this, Estelle couldn’t help but ask, “If the food isn’t enough for you, we can go to a restaurant. I know there’s a good one nearby.”
“No need,” Cristofer shrugged playfully and quipped, “I should be more frugal now. After all, I’m the only one in this family without any assets.”
“What do you mean?” Estelle furrowed her brow slightly and asked.
“The Hans Group is no longer mine,” Cristofer stated earnestly. “As I mentioned, I’ve evenly distributed the company shares among our three children. You have your own company. In comparison, I have nothing left, so I can only play the role of househusband and chauffeur. I should cherish every meal and avoid wasting it.”
“Um… okay. If you say so,” Estelle responded with a smile, her lips forming a gentle curve reminiscent of a contented kitten.
Cristofer noticed the smile he had brought to Estelle’s face, encouraging him to look at her more intently. At that moment, he spotted a drop of soup at the corner of her lips. Without hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her.
Cristofer’s kiss was feather-light, and it took Estelle by surprise. She was momentarily stunned, either from astonishment or the familiarity of his kiss, and she forgot to push him away.