Chapter 287 Chapter 287: You Should Go Now
When Estelle arrived at the airport, she heard the airport broadcast.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention, please: Check-in for Flight CZ7865 to Randaw will be closed in fifteen minutes. Passengers who have not been checked in for this flight, please go to Counter No. 185 immediately. Thank you.”
At Counter No. 185, Ron was waiting anxiously for Cristofer and Estelle with two children and Aurora.
Standing at the terminal’s door, Estelle turned around and saw that the window of the black Lincoln limousine was slowly rolling down.
Cristofer was still lying on the seat with a deep frown on his pale face. He was so tall that the seat was not long enough for him.
At this time, Nelson urged her, “You should go now. The flight will depart soon. Remember what you have promised me. Don’t go back on your words. I can save him, and I can destroy him.”
With a lump in her throat, Estelle looked deeply at Cristofer, tears welling in her eyes.
Finally, she gritted her teeth, turned around, and ran into the terminal.
“Miss Hudson!” Ron exclaimed upon spotting Estelle. He waved urgently, inquiring, “You’re a bit late. The plane is nearly departing. Here are your boarding passes. Additionally, these items belong to Yohan and Yvonne. Oh, and do you happen to know Mr. Mysterious whereabouts?”
Ron scanned behind her but found no sign of Cristofer.
“Did he not accompany you?”
Estelle took a deep breath, fighting back tears, and spoke with a touch of sarcasm, “I have his money. He holds no value for me anymore.”
Ron was taken aback by her words. “Miss Hudson, what do you mean?”
Estelle then reached for Yvonne from Ron’s arms. Just then, Yohan approached, clung to her legs, and said, “Mom, I’ve missed you so much.”
Estelle clenched her teeth, then took another deep breath before addressing Ron with a more cheerful demeanor, “What a shame! Despite the substantial money I obtained from him, it is nothing compared to his company and real estate. If I had known I wouldn’t gain more from him, I wouldn’t have stayed with him for so long.”
“Miss Hudson, you...”
“Well, it’s time to check-in. I’d rather not waste any more time talking with you,” Estelle interjected, “Goodbye. Mom, Yohan, let’s let’s go.”
With Yvonne cradled in her arms, Estelle headed purposefully to the check-in counter and presented her boarding pass to the staff.
Aurora, unaware of the situation, remained perplexed.
As Estelle was about to address Ron, the airport’s announcement caught her attention once more. She had to rush through the check-in process with Yohan.
Shortly after that, the plane took off.
“Mom, why are you crying? Why isn’t Dad coming with us?” Yohan inquired. He possessed a keen sensitivity and could sense that something was wrong with Estelle.
Estelle wiped her tears using the back of her hand and shook her head, explaining, “I’m not crying. It’s just... My eyes are irritated.”
“Let me check if there’s something in your eyes.”
“It’s alright, Yohan. No need to worry. I’ll be fine soon.”
“Then Dad...”
“Yohan,” Aurora gently interjected, “I need to talk to your Mom. Could you look after Yvonne for a little while?”
“Sure,” Yohan nodded in agreement.
Aurora then swiftly rose and occupied the unoccupied seat adjacent to Estelle, which had been designated for Cristofer.
“Estelle...”
With her head lowered and teary eyes, Estelle shook her head and spoke in a choked voice, “Mom, please don’t ask me anything, okay?”
Aurora held her in a tight hug and reassured her, “Alright, I won’t ask anything. Please don’t cry...”
Outside the hospital’s emergency room
A day and a night passed, and the doctors continued their intense efforts to save Cristofer's life.
“Uncle Nelson, Vincent has finally confessed everything,” Geoffrey reported after ending a phone call, visibly relieved.
Nelson, with his eyes closed, inquired calmly, “What did he reveal?”
“He admitted that Cristofer intended to fake his death through a staged accident and then flee abroad with Estelle using a new identity.”
“Another identity?”
“Yes, he wants to live with his brother’s identity for the rest of his life.”
“He has a brother?”
“Yes. Mrs. Hans gave birth to a pair of twins at that time, but reportedly one of them was stillborn. This has been a closely guarded secret within the Hans family, and Cristofer's parents never shared it with anyone. I stumbled upon this information a few days ago while investigating Cristofer.”
“So, Cristofer's brother isn’t alive anymore?” Nelson inquired.
“That’s correct.”
Upon hearing this, Nelson shook his head and offered a helpless smile, saying, “I doubt Cristofer himself is aware of this.”
“Uncle Nelson, what’s our next step?” Geoffrey inquired.
“We must wait,” Nelson responded, “Ideally, Cristofer wouldn’t recall the events between him and Estelle during these days once he regains consciousness. If that happens, everything will return to its proper course, and he will remain my heir. But if he still remembers everything and wants to see Estelle, show him the letter that Estelle wrote.”
“Understood,” Geoffrey affirmed.
Nelson then turned his gaze to Geoffrey, his eyes piercing.
Caught in the intensity of Nelson’s stare, Geoffrey felt a surge of panic and blurted out, “Uncle Nelson, I admit my mistake. I won’t go against your wishes again!”
Nelson huffed and remarked, “You’re incredibly coward! Do you know why I didn’t choose you as my heir?”
Geoffrey nodded, stating, “Because I’m not as capable as Cristofer.”
“No,” Nelson responded. “In truth, you are nearly as capable as he is. Had I not known Cristofer, I might have chosen you as my heir. Let me explain why I eventually selected him. While ability is crucial, mentality matters even more. You tend to lose your composure when faced with challenges, whereas Cristofer remains steady. If Cristofer were in your shoes just now, he wouldn’t have been as flustered as you. Even if I beat him or paralyzed him, he’d still maintain his calm resolve.”
Geoffrey had come to terms with not competing against Cristofer.
Taking in Nelson’s words, he managed a bitter smile and admitted, “I underestimated him. He even knelt before me for the sake of the woman he loved and endured humiliation. He’s a man who knows when to be humble and when to stand tall. I can’t measure up to him.”
“Geoffrey, as long as you support Cristofer in the future, I’ll treat you well,” Nelson reassured.
“Noted, Uncle Nelson.”
Nelson added, “By the way, tomorrow, go to the Rose Garden and ensure all traces of Cristofer and that woman are cleared.”
“No problem, Uncle Nelson.”