Chapter 133


    Chapter 133 Your Benefactor Is Somebody Else


    Witnessing Robert suffer a blow to the heart, Henry could feel his boiling rage subsiding.


    Just then, Susan began serving dessert at the dining table.


    Having been taking care of Henry ever since the man was still a baby, she had always doted on him-


    “Where’s Miss Winters, by the way? Why didn’t you bring her home with you, Mr. Miller?”


    Henry’s finger froze for a fleeting moment when those words reached his ears.


    After taking a mouthful of the dessert, he replied, “It’s toote. She’s gone to bed.”


    Susan bobbed her head and exchanged a meaningful gaze with Julia before walking away.


    Julia then tried to glean more information from Henry, only to receive nothing more than


    diplomatic answers from her son. No matter what, letting his mother pry into his personal affairs was


    thest thing Henry wanted.


    Robert, for one, could read the room pretty well himself.


    A chuckle escaped him. “Did you have a tiff with Miss Winters, Henry?”


    That drove Henry to put down the dessert.


    “Robert, it seems like Sloan Group’sst distress hasn’t been able to keep you busy,” he remarked with


    a condescending demeanor.


    Robert’s mien became as grim as death on the spot.


    No longer did Henry have the mood to continue eating. With that, he leaped up from his seat and went


    upstairs.


    “Henry!” cried out Melora unwittingly. “You seem to have a prejudice against Robert.”


    Henry wheeled around, his frosty gazending on Robert.


    “Is it? I didn’t even notice it! Maybe he’ll know better.”


    Robert’s expression darkened even further at that response. Narrowing his eyes to slits, he observed


    that all-around man.


    He clear didn’t get on Crystal’s good side. Well, to think that he’s ustomed to having women


    dancing attendance on him day in and day out. Of course, it’ll irk him for stumbling upon such a tough


    nut to c rack like Crystal.


    Robert recalled the scene at the club the other day, where Henry had acted as though he had not


    qualms about fooling around.


    Ha! He must’ve never thought that he’d end up falling for her for real!


    Not a split second would Robert spend to nurse a grudge against that poor, lovelorn man.


    He left the Miller Residence and hopped into the car. Once again, he could not help checking the


    calendar.


    In two days’ time, I’ll finally be meeting Crystal. I can already imagine how surprised she’ll be to see


    me! I can barely wait toy eyes on that vibrant, adorable look on her face!


    At that thought. Robert could not stop himself from stroking the steering wheel.


    In the meantime, Crystal made a beeline back home from the hotel.


    When she alighted the car, she had no choice but to let herself get drenched by the rain..


    Once she stepped inside the condominium, she took a hot hath and consumed a small sachet of


    vitamin C. Only then did she feelfortable.


    It had been a long night.


    Unfortunately, she still had unfinished work. As exhausted as she might be, she endured it while.


    slumping onto the couch and turning on theptop to finalize the financial report for that day.


    Work was the one thing that could lift her mind off heavy thoughts.


    Then again, right when she was all ready to fall into her slumber in bedter that night, Henry came


    running through her head.


    The next thing ying on her mind was how sweet he had been to her and the intimate moments. they


    had shared earlier that night.


    Covering her own face with a pillow, Crystal forced herself to stop thinking about that man.


    A couple of days had passed, and she had not kept in touch with Henry. Instead, she saw him hitting


    the headlines in the newspaper.


    He had emerged triumphant in an internationalwsuit, looking all confident and spirited.


    A plethora of cameras aimed right at him, thrusting him into the limelight. Even the female reporters’


    eyes shone with the utmost admiration for him.


    Be that it might, he merely stood there and had the interview, his face devoid of any expression.


    The leading was sensational, reading: The Hades of the Legal Profession Never Loses!


    Crystal was slightly startled upon seeing that, freezing momentarily with her hand holding a ss of


    water.


    She then gently touched the photo on the page. I’ve never seen this stern side of him! It’s not that I


    haven’t caught sight of his displeased look before, but that’s too close to real life. In reality, he can be


    quite a shameless jerk.


    On the flip side, the other version of Henry, who was decked out in formal wear, battling in court,


    seemed too s exy from her perspective, so much so that even her legs went limp.


    It was then that she remembered what he had told her- “It’s too soon to tell which one of us has the


    upper hand, Miss Winters!”


    After seeing that photo, Crystal found herself agreeing with that man’s conviction.


    Ugh! I should’ve been more resilient!


    “What are you reading?”


    Emelia sidled up to Crystal and took a gander at the paper. Immediately afterward, a wicked smirk


    yed about the former’s lips. “He’s pretty tough, huh? Say, Crystal… is he good in bed?”


    Considering that Emelia had never intended to tie the knot with anybody, she would asionally h o ok


    herself up with guys, which was why she appeared to be rather blithe and open-minded.


    Her probe, however, was too overwhelming for Crystal to handle. Thetter pleaded with her so that


    she would quit being inquisitive.


    Emelia knew that things had not gone well between Crystal and Henry, thus not pressing further.


    “You’d better get ready for dinner with Mr. Xander tonight! His wife will be there, too, so we must focus


    on her. Win her favor, and this investment deal will beat a path to our door.”


    Crystal knew exactly what to do.


    Given that Luther was only in his thirties, his wife, Martha Langdon, would naturally hold any woman


    too enthralling in disfavor. With that in mind, Crystal chose to go with business auire and tie her long


    brown hair, radiating a professional vibe.


    After making the necessary preparation, she and Emelia shared a ride to get to the venue.


    They reckoned that they would definitely be bending their elbowster, so one of them had to stay


    sober to drive themselves home safely after the appointment.


    Upon arriving at the business club, the two of them happened to bump into Luther and his family at the


    entrance.


    The man had a warm and carefree personality; his wife was graceful and friendly; even their child


    appeared likable.


    Meeting the family of three left Crystal in relief.


    During dinner, Emelia was busyying out the perfect kind of n and bragging endlessly about the


    bright future any person ought to strive for.


    Crystal, on the other hand, entertained Martha and her kid.


    Martha was somewhat fond of Crystal. Only after a brief exchange, she already made up her mind to


    have Crystal teach her child to y piano.


    Emelia rose to her feet and gave a toast to both Luther and Martha. “This is our first time being. an


    entrepreneur, and it’s our pleasure to cross paths with you, Mr. Xander, as our benefactor.”


    She gulped down the drink on that note.


    Luther patted Emelia’s shoulder while guffawing ever so heartily.


    “Your so-called benefactor is actually someone else!”


    Both Emelia and Crystal were taken aback by that revtion of his.


    Someone else, he says? But who?


    “Pardon him. He’s just acting on behalf of someone else. Speaking of which, that person longed to


    coborate with you, Miss Winters, but he was afraid that you’d reject his offer.” cooed Martha.


    Crystal could already guess who that someone was.


    Her visage took a slight turn, yet an asion like that forbade her from getting all worked up.


    Right then, the door to the private room was pushed open.


    Stepping in was Robert, d in a ck-and-white ssic suit, looking inexplicably dashing.


    His gaze, though, was as deep as a bottomless pit.


    “Crystal!” he called out.


    At that juncture, Crystal was still standing with a ss of wine in her hand. “Oh, it’s Mr. Sloan.” A half-


    smile flickered over her face.


    Emelia was rather concerned that Crystal might lose her poise.


    Thetter held Emelia’s hand and reassured her instead.


    Then came her utterance. “Mr. and Mrs. Xander, I have something to settle with Mr. Sloan in private. If


    you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ll leave you to Emelia.”


    Luther shed a flustered smile at that.


    It went without saying that he felt ill at ease after giving the nod to such a shady deed.


    Without hesitation, Crystal took the lead and stepped out of the room.


    A faint grin appeared on Robert’s face as he trailed the woman outside.


    “Crystal!”


    He called out her name once more before going on, “I told you before I only wished to make it up to


    you! Can you not refuse my good intention?”


    Unlike in the past, he was soft-spoken that time around.


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    Ever since he realized what he had lost, his attitude toward Crystal did a one-eighty.


    He was thinking about giving the woman the best he could offer. Still, whether or not she would still be


    willing to have him back by her side remained a mystery.


    Crystal halted in her tracks in the corridor, her gaze meeting the man’s eyes.


    She figured that he might really be thinking the world of her at that time and was purely trying to please


    her. Nevertheless, his effort came too little, toote. The act of showering her with affection only after


    shattering her heart was not worth a d’mn in her eyes.


    Crystal looked as calm as a millpond.


    “Robert, what we had was history. Melora’s beautiful and innocent. You should cherish that girl. Stop


    pulling tricks that’ll only humiliate us both.”


    Keeping one hand in the pocket was what Robert did as he listened to her speech.


    The next second, he let out a snort.


    “Did you honestly think that Henry will marry you?”


    Pain assailed Crystal’s heart.


    “This has nothing to do with Henry!” She pursed her lips.


    “Is that so?”


    Robert took a step forward, inching closer to Crystal as he spoke.


    Imperceptibly, he leaned toward the woman out of the blue and cornered her against the wall, catching


    herpletely off guard.


    It was as if he would be embracing her at any moment.


    Crystal hindered the man’s advance and shoved him off by the shoulders.


    “Robert, you psy cho!”