Crystal's One Night of Love

Alfred lowered his head to look at the pair of fair hands.

Yet, his gaze went unnoticed by her as she continued holding his arm while they walked out of the cemetery.

Leslie, still holding the umbrella and trailing after them, was silent in contemplation.

The night before, Alfred had said that he was not interested in Ingrid’s company. Perhaps it was not because Ingrid was boring, but because he had encountered someone better that everyone else paled in comparison.

When they were on their way back, Alfred told the driver to take Melora’s car.

Melora sat beside Alfred. She was rather talkative and not at all fazed by what happened the night before.

Leslie drove with a smile, thinking, It’s rare that Mr. Lodge isn’t getting irritable.

Mid-journey, Alfred received a call from his university friend from Barnwood about a gathering in the afternoon.

After speaking for a while, Alfred suddenly turned to Melora.

He chuckled and went on, “You all must be doing this on purpose. You know that I’m single, but you still want me to bring a female companion. Aren’t you trying to make life tough for me?”

The person on the other end responded to Alfred’s words, but Melora could not hear what they said.

Alfred proceeded to stretch his arm to touch his car seat. “All right, all right.”

He ended the call.

If it was another day, Leslie would have definitely arranged for someone to be Alfred’s female companion-someone sensible and obedient. However, there was another woman in the car, and Leslie could not tell what Alfred’s plan was, so he said nothing.

Sure enough, once Alfred tossed his phone aside, he turned to Melora to say, “Join me for a meal.”

Melora hesitated. Mr. Alfred’s friends are probably a whole bunch of old men too, right?

Alfred added, “If you go, you’ll get monetary gifts.”

At that, Melora agreed to it.

After returning to the hotel, Alfred had a change of clothes.

He was still wearing his usual white shirt and black slacks, but he undid two of his shirt buttons and rolled his sleeves up to his elbow to reveal his defined forearms.

His body was one that women would fall for.

After that, he drove the black Lotus and brought her to an obscure upscale clubhouse that only members could enter. The average person could not come to this establishment, for they would not know about it in the first place.

The Miller family was wealthy, but they were in a different social circle, so Melora had never been to this clubhouse.

The manager dared not stare at Alfred as he led them to a private room. All he said was, “Enjoy yourself, Mr. Lodge.”

Alfred inclined his head.

Then, the gilded carved doors slowly closed. Alfred leaned against the doorframe and lit a cigarette.

It was clear that he was a frequent visitor to the clubhouse.

were over a dozen people seated by the table when they arrived,

Alfred was done with his cigarette, a man dressed to his nines came over with a glass of

a tough man to

man was handsome, though his eyes gave him a frivolous image. When he turned to Melora, he chuckled.

a ring of smoke. “She’s a young family friend.”

did not believe

After all, men like them would only bring their lovers to such gatherings. Though Alfred was not married,

Ingrid had called, hoping to find out

and said, “I’m not pulling your leg. She’s the Miller family’s daughter and

in the room

little sister of the legal world’s Grim Reaper?

pat the top of Melora’s head. “The girl said she wanted to learn more about the

greet the others. “This is Eras Yonder. You can call him

walked over. She looked young, maybe even younger than

intimate

group, Melora sweetly greeted,

woman chuckled, and so did the rest.

was laughing as well, she was a little stunned. How many young women could remain as

and the people were not reserved around each

a social event. These prominent figures needed a way to maintain their connections with

group, Alfred was the one with the highest standing.

Any simple project he could offer them would let them

use for them

over to toast Melora, but Alfred shielded her from them. Without beating around the

others stopped trying.

something else about their relationship, but

leaned in to whisper, “Mr. Alfred, I think they’re

the

he wanted, so

rose, he mulled

these people were his classmates and they were not indebted to each other, all of them hoped

was lonely at the top.

of him and were respectfully calling him “Mr. Lodge” now, if he were to ever fall from grace, they would crush him and leave him in

woman like Melora would

Alfred was starting

yet also delighted. At the start,

even started shaking vigorously.

and sometimes urgent, mixing with a man’s

Melora stiffened.

in the cubicle. They were definitely not a married couple, for a married couple would not be so urgent to do such a thing in a public place, especially when they had a reputation

thought about the ages of the young women in the room,

brought their lovers here, but Alfred brought me

she glared at

smoke, but a mysterious look had appeared on his face.

gave him

had thought that Alfred was a gentleman.

his voice