Crystal's One Night of Love

Right then, Henry figured it out.

Crystal’s foremost priority was her children. He came after them.

The discovery made him ill at ease.

As he gazed down upon her delicate features, he seemed to see another version of himself, a version that held all memories of him.

He did not give in to her. But the next day, he found himself returning to the Miller residence.

They sky grew dimmer as the evening progressed.

Henry did not head indoors immediately. He leaned against his car, lighting a cigarette and taking slow drags, smoke veiling his face.

The Miller residence echoed with children’s laughter and spirited play in the living room, infusing the surroundings with vibrant energy. Yet, this liveliness felt somewhat foreign to him.

After he finished smoking, he walked into the living room.

A young and unfamiliar handsome boy occupied a seat.

Toys were scattered around him, and he seemed somewhat awkward.

Before Henry could inquire about the boy, Crystal walked over with a tray of freshly baked cookies. She crouched down before the boy and said tenderly. “Christopher, these are fresh from the oven. Give them a try.”

The boy appeared somewhat bashful as he sampled a few cookies.

“Is it good?” Crystal ruffled his hair affectionately.

“It is!”

Skyler came up next to him. “Christopher, Mommy put lots of milk in them! Why don’t you come back tomorrow?”

A blush crept onto the young boy’s face as he nodded in agreement.

Henry’s brow furrowed with concern.

No matter how he looked at it, this boy named Christopher appeared like a young daughter-in-law raised by the Miller family.

He felt that a conversation with Crystal was imperative.

Later at night, when the children had finally gone to bed, Henry knocked on the door of the children’s room. “Convenient to talk? I want to discuss something about Skyler with you.”

Crystal was always open to discussing their children, so she looked down at Skyler who was nestled in her arms and murmured, “I’ll be in your room in a moment.”

A while later, she entered his room, which was dimly lit.

Henry, who had taken a shower, sported a casual white bathrobe that highlighted his strong build.

While Crystal sized him up, Henry did the same and snorted. “You’re all bundled up. Why, are you afraid I’ll do anything to you?”

Crystal ignored him. She settled on the couch across from him and asked gently, “What is it about Skyler you want to discuss?”

“Who’s Christopher to the Millers? Who is he to Skyler? And if my guess is right, he has Rh-negative. blood, doesn’t he?” Henry didn’t beat around the bush.

Crystal lowered her gaze. “You’ve got it right.”

Tension hung in the air.

Henry looked at Crystal.

pink sweater dress, she projected a gentle demeanor, but behind that facade lay remarkably

breathing human being, not some item you can trade! Crystal… how much did you spend

out a chuckle.

of being

the brunt

could you retrieve the first document from my safe at the office? Yes,

hung up

knitted

handed over the document, and departed swiftly.

the document to Henry. “The answers you’re searching for are within these

stiffened after reading

had never imagined himself performing such an outlandish action until he

It was him.

two hundred million into Christopher’s father’s

one who had engaged in golf rounds with

Christopher’s continuous presence by Skyler’s side

all him, or

his head to look

***

was standing quietly before the floor-to-ceiling window. After a while, she murmured, “Henry, even if I don’t want to, I have to admit that you two

years, Henry had single-handedly nurtured Skyler.

core, and he had

her displayed, he was not the identical individual he once was.

give up on him, but that she simply received nothing besides sorrow

the night, loneliness radiating off her back.

lips curled ever

his case, yet the words refused to cross his lips,

longing for the other

snowing

room enveloped them in warmth, courtesy of the heater. The floor-to-ceiling window was covered in a layer of

drew on the glass window absent-mindedly. Her voice was slightly raspy as she said, “Henry, you turned

not the Henry Miller she loved.

were

shared intimacy, she felt empty inside.

current look was enough to make a man’s heart flutter.

behind. He leaned into her ear and whispered, “Is he truly remarkable?

knew he should not feel this way,

variant of himself. cavorting unabashedly in the embrace of their shared bed, her cheeks flushed and her voice intoxicating

of it kindled an acute sense of

head slightly. “You want to know?”

response, and he began kissing her from her cheek to her ear, down to her neck. Those tender, reverential kisses

around and reciprocated his kiss.

neck, she said, “If you want to see it, I’ll show it to

grew deeper, Crystal went back.

with Henry, allowing him to watch it at his

in a bathrobe, leaning

second, he was stunned by

lovemaking session between Henry and Crystal, with him sitting in the study and Crystal tending to him with care in his

observing her long legs on

pound out of his chest.

version of himself gently tugging Crystal’s long hair and tenderly kissing

them sharing a heartbreaking

illuminated the dimly lit