Crystal's One Night of Love

Crystal quickly and firmly placed Lara’s number on Henry’s blacklist.

The task was accomplished, but her feelings still felt a little bruised. She was somewhat absent-minded when Henry tried to converse with her.

Their car finally rolled to a stop at the mansion.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, Henry turned toward Crystal, his voice laced with tenderness as he asked, “Why are you so quiet?”

Men always like to compare.

Henry pondered for a while. “Did I hurt you just now?”

Crystal shook her head.

She opened the door and got out, sidestepping the topic. “They’re waiting for us.”

They hadn’t gone far when Henry looped his arm around her waist, pulling her close from behind, and she fell into his embrace.

The snow fell all around them, wetting their coats, but neither of them seemed to mind. It was rare for them to warmly embrace each other like this on a cold winter night.

“Crystal, I’m thinking I could actually become a good husband to you,” he whispered, his breath a gentle. caress against her ear.

He decided to discard any preconceived notions about her, aiming to accept her completely.

No matter if it was due to his desires as a man or her kind nature, he believed she’d make an exceptional lover, wife, and mother.

Leaning against his shoulder, Crystal murmured, “Really? What is it that you like about me?”

Henry patted her back. “I’ll tell you tonight!”

“This is all going a bit too fast…”

Henry’s fingers glided along the curve of her spine. Her entire body felt soft to the touch, and he was happy to stay this way with her.

At the entrance of the mansion stood David and Alfred, who were puffing away on cigarettes.

David’s eyes widened as he asked, “Do you see that couple embracing each other over there? Is that Henry and Crystal?”

Lowering his head, Alfred lit his cigarette and took a long drag from it. He was the embodiment of rugged charm.

Casting a glance their way, he confirmed, “There’s no doubt about it!”

David grew anxious.

With the cigarette hanging from his mouth, he marched through the falling snow and shouted, “Henry, have you lost your marbles? Why are you frolicking in the snow on a freezing day like this? Even if you and your thick skin can handle it, your wife just gave birth two months ago. How could you drag her out in the snow with you?”

Alfred’s cigarette came close to searing his fingers.

Crystal gently removed herself from Henry’s embrace, feeling embarrassed. “Dad’s coming over!”

Henry, realizing the inappropriateness of standing in the snow like this, slipped off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. He pulled her into his embrace and said, “Okay, let’s head inside. I told you that Dad loves you to bits.”

David had come over right then.

He handed a large black umbrella to Crystal and launched into a tirade against his wayward son.

Henry fished a cigarette from his pocket, ignited it amidst the delicate snowfall, and then threw Crystal a smirk.

He was clearly teasing her with that smirk.

Truth be told, this version of Henry appealed to Crystal. However, with the elders around, she didn’t dare to flirt with him, so she quickly walked into the living room.

David proceeded to lecture his son about taking proper care of women who had just given birth.

In the end, he waved his hand dismissively and said, “Go on and attend to your wife. Looking at you gets on my nerves!”

Henry nonchalantly finished his cigarette, then followed Crystal indoors.

As he stepped inside, he saw Crystal taking off her coat and drying her hair with a towel.

Clad in a delicate dress made from wool that set off her fair skin, she radiated softness and elegance.

Henry’s voice took on a tender tone as he said, “We’ve got half an hour until dinner. How about upstairs for a shower? I’ll go check on Remi!”

Skyler, holding his hand, said eagerly, “I’ll go with you, Daddy!”

Bending down, Henry lifted the little one and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Skyler beamed as she wrapped her arm around his neck with happiness.

Crystal’s gaze softened at the sight of the father and daughter.

Julia took the towel from her hand and said gently, “He’ll settle down eventually. You two have such a deep bond.”

an acknowledgment.

matter whether or not he could remember

was

upstairs for her shower while the ground floor of the Miller residence buzzed with

of

seven in the

had begun illuminating the sky.

in her pretty little dress, Skyler ran around Henry, whose heart melted. He scooped up his

wander from his financial magazine to her delicate and fair

Crystal a lot.

fiddled with her fingers.

her on

Skyler leaned on

with David right then, looking

shared with Berthold wasn’t as close as this. That boy was

Melora and Berthold came down the stairs.

take care of the

missed her, but he understood his

bent down and said to the two children. “Come here

and she was rewarded with a large

Alfred as a stern man. “Go on!” Melora reassured him with a pat

and approached Alfred. “Great-Uncle

atmosphere grew a little awkward.

he tenderly patted the boy’s head and handed over the gift. He said

understanding yet not

clear voice, “Great-uncle Alfred is Mommy’s uncle, so I call him Great- uncle Alfred. But Great-uncle Alfred and Aunt Melora are a couple, and they gave birth to you. Berthold. So, you need to call

Skyler’s

a clever child! She takes after

to

descended the

box from his pocket, then presented it to her. “Here’s your Christmas

to accept

Take it. I rarely come over, and I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Who knows when

the box and opened it.

box lay a pearl necklace that looked expensive at first glance.

shrugged it

this piece was a cherished heirloom of the Lodge family that was passed down through generations

an uncertain future, yet at this moment, he

air crackled with emotion, Henry looked on from a distance.

knew the true value of that pearl necklace,

number was unfamiliar to him.

answer it. The voice on the other end was filled with desperation. “Mr. Miller, please, you have to help Lara! She lost her financial support, so she went back to her hometown to work. It’s snowing today, and her hometown is situated in the mountains. She slipped off a cliff, and rescue is near impossible now… Mr. Miller, I know she made mistakes and offended Mrs. Miller, but now it’s hard to rescue her without a helicopter, and she might freeze to death out there! She tried

person on the line

clutched the phone.

After that, Crystal blacklisted the number. A life is on the line…

Henry agreed to help. He asked for details about

hanging up, he raised his gaze to find Crystal coming midway down the stairs.

relaxed after her shower, but

heading out?”

as he donned his coat, ready to step

Henry nodded.

do with us, Crystal.

Alfred is leaving tomorrow morning!”

clutched the banister and

composed, but only she knew how much her hands were trembling.

ask Uncle Alfred to arrange a helicopter through his connections. I

turned to

a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I

shifted

Uncle Alfred’s help, you can trust it’ll be fine. Henry,

She wasn’t naïve.

much of a

playing the victim.

such a perilous situation. After all, if the helicopter didn’t arrive, she would really freeze

care about Lara’s life, but she did care

at

cheek tenderly. In a gentle voice, he said. “It’s not often that Uncle Alfred comes here. Let him enjoy dinner with you guys. I’ll

that, he turned to leave.

this festive atmosphere not enough to keep you here? Or is it that you don’t trust me?

frown crossed

I didn’t think

alarm Skyler. She didn’t want to create an awkward situation for

being a good husband and about making things better… Yet now, just a short while later, you’re off to find a woman who is clearly interested in

it. She finally spoke

looked serious. “Crystal,