Chapter 469 Chapter 469: How Did This Happen?
“Estelle,” Cristofer interjected with a feeble voice. “I might not be able to ride the motorcycle today. Let’s take a taxi home.”
Concerned for his well-being, Estelle suggested, “Let’s head to the hospital first to have your arm checked and re-bandaged.”
The two of them hailed a taxi and made their way to the hospital. Upon their arrival, Cristofer was quickly examined by a doctor. The doctor’s expression turned grim, and he urgently instructed a nurse, “Alert the emergency room staff to prepare for immediate intervention!”
The nurse hurriedly dashed off to the emergency room, leaving Cristofer, who was drenched and unable to sit up straight, leaning against Estelle. He appeared delirious, muttering incoherently, “Star... Don’t...”
Estelle, growing increasingly concerned about his condition, asked, “Doctor, is his arm severely injured?”
The doctor responded, “It’s not just his arm. His leg and several other bones are broken, and I suspect there might be internal injuries as well. He might not have made it if you had arrived any later.”
Estelle was shocked by this revelation. “How did this happen?”
“The injuries seem consistent with a severe impact, possibly from a car accident. Who is he to you?”
“I…”
Estelle began to reply but was interrupted by the nurse’s return. She informed them, “Dr. Johnson, the emergency room is ready.”
“Good. Take him there immediately, start him on a respirator, and prepare for a blood transfusion,” the doctor ordered. He then impatiently turned to Estelle, saying, “You haven’t answered my question. Who is he to you? If you don’t know him, we’ll have to contact the police to reach out to his family...”
Before Estelle could respond, the nurse interjected, “Dr. Johnson, this is Mr. and Mrs. Hans! They are a married couple!”
“A couple?” The doctor didn’t believe it. Then he looked at Estelle and asked, “Are you really a couple?”
“We…”
“Yes. I saw them on the news a few days ago,” the nurse explained quickly. “They are a loving couple and deeply care for each other. Mrs. Hans, please follow me to complete the necessary procedures for Mr. Hans. Time is of the essence!”
Before Estelle could respond, the nurse hurriedly ushered her out of the doctor’s office.
Estelle had to sign numerous forms during the formalities process. Anxiously, she signed whatever the nurse presented, barely glancing at the contents.
When she reached the last form, she managed to catch some words like “shock” and “excessive hemorrhage.” Turning to the nurse, she asked, “Miss, is my husband in critical condition?”
Still busy sorting through the paperwork, the nurse replied, “Yes, he’s in serious condition. The doctor mentioned leg and rib fractures, a significant head injury, and signs of hemorrhagic shock, which can be life-threatening.”
Estelle’s mind reeled upon hearing this. She stammered, "How... How did this happen? He was fine earlier in the afternoon...”
“Perhaps Mr. Hans didn’t tell you what occurred,” the nurse suggested. “He might have wanted to spare you the worry. His injuries are severe, and he has lost a significant amount of blood. Fortunately, you brought him here promptly.”
Estelle’s heart ached as if it had been squeezed tightly. She asked with a tremor in her voice, “Is his life in danger?”
“It’s hard to say. You should discuss it with the doctor. Mrs. Hans, it’s important to contact the police now. Mr. Hans has been in a serious car accident, and we shouldn’t let the responsible driver escape justice,” the nurse advised before dashing into the emergency room with the stack of documents in her arms.
Alone outside the emergency room on a late, rainy night, Estelle shivered from the cold. Suddenly, her phone rang—it was Mr. Mysterious calling. She answered the call and held the phone to her ear with trepidation.
“Estelle, where are you now? I’ve bought the lilies. Let’s go to the Hans’ Residence together,” Victor said.
Silence lingered.
“Estelle? Where are you now? Say something!”
In a low voice, Estelle asked, “Who are you?”
“What?” Victor laughed dismissively. “Why such a question? I’m Mr. Mysterious.”
“Are you really Mr. Mysterious?” Estelle asked, clenching her fist.
“Of course. Who else could I be but Mr. Mysterious? Cristofer? Estelle, did Cristofer say something to you? He treated you poorly in the past. Don’t trust him anymore!”
Estelle remained silent.
“Estelle?”
“I... Never mind. I’m going to hang up. Goodbye,” Estelle said, but before she could end the call, Victor interrupted her.
“Hold on. Where are you now? Haven’t we agreed that we would go to Hans’ Residence after I bought the flowers for your mother? Why did you leave the hotel? Where have you gone?”
“My mother’s favorite flower...” Before Estelle could finish her sentence, Victor interrupted, “I’ve bought a big bunch of lilies in various colors. Your mother will be thrilled.”
“She doesn’t like lilies,” Estelle stated coldly. “She prefers sunflowers.”
Victor was left speechless.
“Don’t you even know this?” Estelle questioned.
“Estelle, are you doubting me?” Victor asked, almost bursting into anger.
“Do you like spicy fried chicken or poached green cabbage?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Victor replied.
“Answer me!”
Silence followed.
“You’re not Mr. Mysterious,” Estelle asserted firmly. “Who are you, really?”
After a long silence, Victor let out a snort and said, “I was so anxious to go to the Hans’ Residence that I forgot your mother likes sunflowers. My mistake.”
“You think I’ll believe such a lame excuse?” Estelle retorted.
In a cold, deep voice, Victor replied, “You still suspect me.”
“Because you don’t have much in common with Mr. Mysterious,” Estelle explained.
“But I can recall many things from our past. We watched the sunrise on Mount Cloud, had a wedding under the Malus Halliana tree, and we even raised a puppy together.”
“...”
“Estelle, I understand you’ve been under a lot of stress due to Christina. It’s my fault for not considering your feelings. I shouldn’t have pressured you to take me to the Hans’ Residence. Please, calm down and don’t be angry. Think about the beautiful memories we share. If you’d like, we can visit Mount Cloud together right now. What do you say?”
“My thoughts are all over the place at the moment. I just need some alone time to gather myself,” Estelle declined.
“Let’s go to Mount Cloud,” Victor insisted. “I’m the only one who knows how to find the Malus Halliana tree.”
Estelle was taken aback by this. ‘The Malus Halliana tree is at the back of Mount Cloud. The path to get there is complex, and I don’t even know how to find it. Can he really locate it?’ she wondered.
“Estelle, let me take you to see the Malus Halliana tree again. I’ll prove that I am really Mr. Mysterious,” Victor insisted.
Estelle remained silent.