Crystal's One Night of Love

At two in the afternoon, Leslie came to pick Alfred up.

After Alfred boarded the vehicle, Leslie teased, “You seem high-spirited today.”

Alfred grinned. “Not at all. She was so clingy that I feel tired!”

Leslic chuckled.

Hours later, Alfred left his meeting with a scowl.

Leslie approached him, asking in a whisper, “What happened?”

“We’ll talk in the car.”

Once inside the automobile, Alfred pulled the curtains for the windows and sighed. “Do you remember the project from half a year ago?”

Leslie nodded.

Undoing one button on his shirt, Alfred continued, “I recommended Noel for the project. However, he and his wife died in a suspicious car accident.”

Leslie was stunned for a long while.

Lowering his head, Alfred lit a cigarette with trembling fingers. Several minutes passed before he took a puff. What he didn’t tell Leslie was that there were obvious bruises on Noel and his wife that looked like they were beaten up.

Ultimately, Noel had sacrificed his and his wife’s lives to protect the project data.

Someone had to take over the project.

And since Alfred was the one who designated Noel to oversee it, he had to take responsibility.

As he continued to smoke with his quivering fingers, he removed the small box from his pocket with another hand. Initially, he planned to propose to Melora today and marry her after Christmas.

However, Noel’s death made him question if he should.

The sight of Noel’s and his wife’s ghastly deaths haunted Alfred.

Though Alfred didn’t speak his mind, Leslie could guess what the former was thinking about. Unfortunately, he could only remain silent.

Suddenly, something smashed into the black Audi, launching Alfred forward.

When the car stopped, a man in black clothing riding a motorcycle in front of the automobile halted as well. He then peered through the window as though he had x-ray vision.

The driver cursed and made to exit the vehicle.

Bearing the pain, Alfred exclaimed, “Don’t step out of the car! It’s dangerous!”

When the man in black clothing saw the car didn’t move, he sped off.

Leslie crawled to the backseat to check Alfred’s injury. “How are you feeling, Mr. Lodge?”

Alfred pressed his hand on his abdomen. I must’ve broken a rib.

Despite that, he didn’t show any emotions in his countenance. “To think they’ve received the news so soon. after the meeting concluded! This foreign company is outrageous!”

As much as he wanted to avenge Noel and the latter’s wife, he had to focus more on protecting his own life.

At that moment, his phone rang.

It was from Melora. After a brief moment of hesitation, Alfred answered the call and uttered gently, “I’ve got an emergency at Coldbridge, so I won’t be joining you later, Melora.”

he was aware of how disappointed

nerve to return to

people watching him.

Leslie. “Have someone keep an eye on her

Leslie nodded.

was admitted into a private hospital at Coldbridge. Though he needed to rest after breaking a rib and suffering from a concussion,

four in the morning, Leslie visited him after handling

after suffering such severe injury? Lie down

settle down. “There’s still so much work to-”

noticed the diamond ring

I fell for a young woman, Leslie! I need to stay four years on the project. What will I become by then? Though I’m always saying Melora is young, she’s already twenty-eight. After four years, she’ll be over thirty. There’s no way she can waste four years waiting for me.” I also don’t want to think about the possibility that my enemy

dare to speak a

the

was discharged, Melora called him. He stared at his phone for a long time before rejecting the call,

on, Alfred started

with Melora. Instead of cutting things off with her cleanly, he did it slowly. As he tortured her, he was hurt,

to

with Eras

who he

contact Alfred, and on the occasion she

have the courage to question him face- to-face. All she could do was habitually wait for

forget to eat while waiting for him.

Valentine’s Day, she received news of Alfred.

gone to support Ingrid at La Scala. After Ingrid finished her performance, she changed into a beautiful gown. With his arm wrapped around her waist, they appeared to be a perfect

Melora’s hand. He’s in Barnwood, yet he hasn’t asked

gaze, she still called

the clubhouse

settled the cards in his hand down and stared at Melora’s

matter? Has your

again. “She’s just a child. How long

card game, he said, “Please help me

she could tell it was intimate since he had ignored her for

for reasons unknown to her, he reconnected

that, despite how affectionate he acted with her when in public, he had never touched

budge, Alfred

answer the call. “Hey, Miss Miller! Mr. Alfred is having fun in the clubhouse. How about

audibly quickened before the call ended abruptly.

right as he was

attention won’t last long, but she keeps calling me. It’s quite annoying”

icy look was swirling in his eyes.

until midnight that he returned to his car. Leslie asked

stared out the window,

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3/5

he said,

the middle of the night, he returned to the place that had provided

there, sleeping on

tear stains on the corner of her

teared up as well. I wonder how long she’s been waiting for me. Why didn’t she

about to

at him, the panic in

cried silently. All she did was stare

on the couch, gently patting her head. “Don’t wait for me anymore, Melora.”

countenance, as though she did