Chapter 3: Is It Blood?
It all happened in a sudden way. When Estelle realized what actually had happened, Cristofer
screamed to split up with her and smashed all the ss bottles in front of her. The paper stars in the
bottles scattered on the floor and got crushed by him mercilessly.
“Estelle Hudson, get out of my sight! I don’t want to see you again!” He stressed each syble as he
pointed at her nose, with his eyes reddened with rage.
By then, Cristofer was 23 years old. He lost his parents and his family business; there was nothing
left. Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Estelle found herself pregnant.
Cristofer’s hatred scared Estelle. Afraid that he could not ept her pregnancy, she went abroad
without leaving a note and gave birth to the child. She nned to exin to him when he calmed
down that she knew nothing about the “conspiracy,” but things went beyond her expectations.
What was worse, an ident during delivery resulted in the child being born with a serious disease
and having to stay in the ICU. Panicked, she decided to ask Cristofer for help, thinking that he
would save the child. However, to her astonishment, she saw another woman leaning against his
chest when she arrived at his office.
That woman was Gretchen Abrams.
It was said that Gretchen had apanied him through his darkest time.
It was said that Cristofer regarded Gretchen as the light of his life and treasured her dearly.
It was said that, with Gretchen’s encouragement, he rose like a dark horse and elevated his
business within merely two years to a level enough topete with the Hudsons.
It was said that they were preparing for their wedding.
However, it was Estelle who had the marriage license with Cristofer. Legally, Cristofer was married,
and Estelle was his wife. Therefore, Gretchen could not be a rightful bride.
During the four years of being Mrs. Hans, Cristofer had forced Estelle to sign the divorce settlement
repeatedly. But she refused every time.
She always thought that since they had once been in love, she could wait for the truth to be
uncovered and for him to return to her. However, four yearster, what came back to her was not
him but a notification of lung cancer. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.
Memories crowded her head and caused a sudden stabbing pain in her chest. Then, again, Estelle
was ovee by a terrible fit of coughing.
This time, there was more blood. The crimson liquid spurted out of her mouth and stained the pure
white sheet.
“What’s wrong with you?” Cristofer noticed her quivering.
Heart softened, she burst into tears, “Cristofer, I… I have something important to tell you. I’m sick.”
Cristofer interrupted her with a sneer, “Don’t tell me you’re going to die, or I would celebrate it. If you
die, I don’t even need a divorce. A widower like me could marry Gretchen anytime.”
Estelle was too desperate to say a word, but she failed.
He asked, “What else do you want to say?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
At this moment, Cristofer seemed to notice something on the sheet.
Estelle scrambled to cover the red stain and pretended as if nothing had happened.
“What’s that?” He walked over, threw her to another side, and studied the redness.
“Is it blood?”
Estelle bit her lip and clenched her fists to bear the twinge.
Cristofer surveyed her with contempt, pointed at the blood, and asked sarcastically, “You even had
your hymen repaired just for tonight?”
Estelle curled up her lips and smiled wryly.
By the moonlight, her shadow stretched long on the floor.
Tortured by the illness for days, she had be very skinny, and even the color of her shadow
seemed to be lighter than before.
Cristofer asked, “Where were you during the day?”
She looked up. “You’re expressing your concern about me?”
“Of course not. I asked mywyer, Mr. Jones, to talk to you about the divorce terms. He said you
weren’t home.”
“I went to the hospital.”
“For what?”
“Having my hymen repaired. You already know that, don’t you?” She only validated his assumption,
but it was purely a lie that she had to fabricate.
“Estelle Hudson, I’ve never really understood you. If you wanted our fortune, it would be all yours
after we got married. So why bother murdering my parents? They were so nice to you and treated
you like their daughter. I would give you all you wanted, and so would they because I was their only
child. But why… why did you fool us all like that? You fooled me for such a long time just to obtain
our possessions?”
“Cristofer, will you believe me if I say that I didn’t know anything about the ‘plot’?”
He shook his head. “Do you think I will believe you? My parents died, and I lost everything. When I
was totally defeated, I drank day after day. And I nearly drank myself to death! What about your
family? They took this excellent chance to possess all our properties. As for you, you disappeared,
and I haven’t heard from you ever since. How could I believe you?”
“Cristofer…”
He continued, “If Gretchen hadn’t appeared in my life, encouraged me, and gone through those
dark days with me, I might have be a penniless loser as you wished.”
“Fortunately, I made it through, and I won’t allow myself to make the same mistake again.”
Estelle wore a sad smile. Thoughts were screaming inside her head, but she silently choked them
all.
So, I’m the “mistake,” aren’t I?
It seems that you will not trust me or love me anymore.
She licked her lips and asked, “Cristofer, what is Gretchen like?”
Hearing that, a trace of tenderness climbed on his face. “She is clever, kind, and gentle. She always
gets me.”
“Does she love you?”
“Sure.”
Estelle nodded with slight satisfaction. “That’s good.”
If she loves you, then I’m relieved.
I’m d to know that a good woman can rece me and apany you after I leave.
Now that you will live a happy life, I can leave the world without any regret.
I will wait and die quietly out of your sight and will not cause you any trouble.