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.”

of how disappointed she’d feel.

he didn’t have the nerve to return to

people watching him.

up the phone and turned to Leslie. “Have someone

Leslie nodded.

a private hospital at Coldbridge. Though he needed to rest after breaking a rib and

four in the morning, Leslie visited him after handling

severe injury? Lie down quickly. The doctor says you need to be on bed rest for at least a

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

he noticed the diamond ring

against the headboard, Alfred smiled bitterly. “Despite my age, 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

didn’t dare to speak a word, knowing Alfred

in the hospital

phone for a long time before rejecting the call, which pained him greatly. I bet

on, Alfred started

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

Christmas, he returned to his

with Eras and the others.

again, he became who he used to

over, Melora had lost a few kilograms. She often couldn’t contact Alfred, and on the

have the courage to question him face- to-face.

she’d forget to eat while waiting for

she received

into a beautiful gown. With

from Melora’s hand. He’s in Barnwood, yet he hasn’t asked to meet me.

gaze, she still called

was at the clubhouse when his phone rang.

the cards in his hand down and stared at

matter? Has your puppy caught up to you?”

smiled casually again. “She’s just a child.

he resumed the card game, he said, “Please help me answer

his relationship with Melora was, but as a woman, she could tell it was intimate since he had ignored

unknown to her, he reconnected with her

with her when in public, he had never touched her again after

refused to budge, Alfred urged,

but to answer the call. “Hey, Miss Miller! Mr. Alfred is having fun

breathing audibly quickened before the call ended abruptly.

a moment right as he was about to play his cards.

did I say? A child’s attention won’t last long, but she keeps calling me.

icy look was swirling in his

wasn’t until midnight that he returned to his car. Leslie asked softly.

out the window, distracted.

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3/5

he said, “The

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

his surprise, Melora was there,

on the corner

how long she’s been waiting

he was about to carry her,

him, the panic in her eyes clear.

“Mr. Alfred” before she cried silently. All she did was stare at him, waiting for an explanation.

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

as though she did