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 glass 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 syllable 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 accept her pregnancy, she went abroad without leaving a note and gave birth to the child. She planned to explain to him when he calmed down that she knew nothing about the “conspiracy,” but things went beyond her expectations.

What was worse, an accident 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 accompanied 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 to compete 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 years later, what came back to her was not him but a notification of lung cancer.

Memories crowded her head and caused a sudden stabbing pain in her chest. Then, again, Estelle was overcome 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 become 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 my lawyer, 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 become 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 glad to know that a good woman can replace me and accompany 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.

The clock on the wall struck twelve, declaring the coming midnight.

With a broad smile, she gazed at him. “I promise I’ll sign the divorce settlement tomorrow.”

Cristofer did not move and just frowned at her as if measuring the credibility of her words.

Meanwhile, Estelle stood up and walked up to him. Resting herself against his chest gently, she landed a kiss on his lips.

“Cristofer, just pretend that you still love me. I beg you. Just this once, will you?”

****

The next morning, Estelle was awakened by the glare of the sun.

Aches and pains racked her body, but she felt empty as if her soul had left her body.

Despite the fact that they had had sex last night, Cristofer had never kissed her on the lips. It was, for him, just a task that could be done without a trace of emotion.

Making love was supposed to be the most intimate thing that could happen between lovers. Still, Estelle felt extremely sad after making love with Cristofer.

There was no warmth left on the quilt next to her, and his figure was nowhere to be seen in the villa. Cristofer left hours ago.

Estelle struggled to her feet and cleaned up the mess on the bed.

Cristofer had been in such a hurry that he left his tie on the floor.

She picked up the tie, folded it carefully, and put it into the bag she always carried with her. There was also a photo of her child in her bag.

“Yohan, hang in there.” She stroked the little face in the photo and sniffled. “I’m trying my best to save you, my child. Just give Mommy some more time, okay?”

Tears streamed down her face and dripped onto the photo.

Estelle wiped away the tears from the photo with tenderness in her eyes.

“The world hates me so much that it wants to take everything, including you, from me. But it doesn’t matter because I have you and will protect you. You’re my beloved. As long as you live a good life, I can bear all the suffering.”

On the nightstand was a pile of papers.

It must be Cristofer who had left them there.

Estelle placed the photo back into her bag as gently as she could before reading the papers.

It was the divorce settlement, which didn’t surprise her at all.

She leafed through it and found no special terms. It was almost the same as the one that Cristofer had brought over earlier.

The only difference that caught her attention was written at the end: Estelle Hudson promises to leave Hadale City forever and never return.

It seems that you really don’t want to see me anymore.

Don’t worry. You won’t see me again because I’ll leave Hadale and even this world forever.

With a faint smile, she signed her name at the bottom.

****

As usual, Estelle came to the hospital for a check-up the day after the injection.

Noticing the bruises on her neck, the doctor frowned. “Mrs. Hans, do you need me to call the police?”

Estelle shook her head and covered the marks with her collar. “No, thanks. When will I know whether I’m pregnant or not?”

“Seven days later, at least,” the doctor said, “Mrs. Hans, if you’re still not pregnant in seven days, please receive chemotherapy before it’s too late.”

Estelle frowned and exhaled deeply. “How long can I live if I don’t receive chemotherapy?”

“Six months at most. But with timely chemotherapy, it can be extended to 3 to 5 years.”

“I don’t want to receive chemotherapy. I have to give birth to another child. Doctor, could you buy me nine months? I don’t mind what method is used or how much it costs.”

“Well, I have to warn you that it’ll be very painful in the late stages of cancer. Many patients give up the will to live because they’re unable to bear the pain. If you want to live longer, you have to fight against your fate yourself.”

Estelle sighed with relief. “I see.”

“The pain is so intense and piercing that patients normally cannot bear it.”

“I can make it,” Estelle replied as she nodded. To ease herself, she repeated, “I can make it.”

The doctor revealed a sorrowful look. “Mrs. Hans, you’re the toughest patient I’ve ever met.”

Estelle wore a big smile. “I’m still not tough enough. If I were tough enough, I wouldn’t have ended up in a mess.”

Estelle was dazzled by the sunlight as she walked out of the hospital.

She squinted at the sun, which was pretty radiant and warm. Then, her phone rang. It was a call from Cristofer.

He calls me!

Estelle could not stop her hands from trembling and almost dropped the phone.

“Cristofer?”

“Have you signed the paper?” Cristofer cut to the chase, not even bothering to greet her.”

Hearing that, she was speechless.

“Estelle, you’d better not play tricks.”

“I’m not playing tricks. I’ve signed it. I’ll do what I promised you.”

Cristofer immediately said, “Then I’ll have Mr. Jones get it.”

“Sorry, Cristofer. I can’t hand the divorce settlement to you right now.”

Irritated, Cristofer growled in an icy, biting tone, “Estelle Hudson! What the hell do you want from me?!”

“I…”

“I have had enough that you tricked me into sleeping with you in this despicable way. If you need a man so badly, I can pay to get you one. You shouldn’t have disgusted me like this!”

Why does his voice sound so familiar yet so strange at the same time?

Never had Cristofer spoken to Estelle so cruelly before she was 20 years old. A gentle and affectionate man like him, in days gone by, was even afraid to hurt her when holding her hands.

He asked her many times whether it hurt or not the first time they had sex, and he would panic upon seeing the slightest frown on her face.

But now, his words were like a cold knife thrusting at her heart bit by bit.

With a bitter laugh, Estelle said softly, “Cristofer, did you see the stars last night?”

Cristofer had run out of his patience. “I have no time for this crap.”

“They were gorgeous.”

“Estelle Hudson, don’t challenge my patience!”

“I’ll give you the divorce settlement. I’ve already mailed it off, and you’ll have them in seven days.”

Cristofer’s breathing sounded heavier, and she could feel his rage over the phone. “You deceived me again! Estelle Hudson, is there a grain of truth in what you say? You fooled me five years ago and keep fooling me even now!”

However, Estelle was not angry at all, and her voice remained gentle. “I’m not fooling you, and I’ve never deceived you.”

“If you have any conscience, if you have any feelings of guilt for my parents, you should divorce me at once and get the fuck away from me!”

She laughed. “I saw the new clause you added to the divorce settlement, saying that you want me to leave Hadale forever.”

Cristofer replied, “Yes, that’s because I don’t want to see you anymore.”

“I can do what you want. In seven days, I will disappear completely and never show up before you and Gretchen. But Cristofer… can you watch the stars with me one more time? Any day is fine. It’s just for one night.”

Beep, beep, beep–

The phone was hung up directly.

Cristofer didn’t say yes and wasn’t willing to listen to her voice any longer.

His indifference did not surprise Estelle, who had been used to it for the past four years. At this moment, she was numb with heartache.

****

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.” A clear, childish voice came from nearby.

A little boy of five or six years old sat in a corner at the hospital entrance and sang the song off and on, resting his chin on his hands.

Estelle walked over and squatted before him, asking, “Hey, little boy. Why are you here alone? Where’s your Mom?”

The outgoing boy replied in a sweet voice, “Mommy is a cleaner in the hospital, and I’m waiting for her to get off work.”

“Then why don’t you wait inside the hospital?”

He pouted his lips. “It’s tiring to be a cleaner. And Mommy doesn’t want me to see how tired she is. Do you work in the hospital, too?”

Deeply touched, Estelle said softly, “No, I’m sick, and I’m here to see the doctor.”

“It costs a lot when you get sick!” The boy could not help the quiver in his voice as his eyes turned red. “If I didn’t get sick, Mommy wouldn’t have to work as a cleaner.”

Estelle didn’t know how to comfort him.

She took all the banknotes from her purse and put them in his arms. “Here you are. Take them to your Mom.”

There were about ten thousand dollars. The banknotes were so heavy that the boy held them with difficulty. “Really? I can have them all?”

She nodded with a smile. “Yes.”

“But Mommy says that accepting gifts from others without her permission is unacceptable.”

Estelle thought for a while and came up with an idea. “How about singing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ for me in return?”

The boy nodded firmly.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.”

With his back straightened, he sang earnestly while struggling to hold all the banknotes in his arms as if they were all his hope.

On Estelle’s way back, that lovely song still echoed in her ears. And she couldn’t help thinking to herself.

Money is so powerful. It either saves lives or destroys lives.

Longing for more money, my mother and uncle orchestrated a car crash that killed Cristofer’s parents. However, I could also use my money to save the poor boy and his mother.

When Estelle was almost home, she saw a woman standing at the gate from a distance.

The woman wore delicate light makeup and a pink dress, with her black hair cascading over her shoulders.

She greeted Estelle in a sweet voice, “Hi, Ms. Hudson. I’m Gretchen Abrams.”

Estelle nodded. “What do you want?”

Gretchen took out a wedding invitation from her handbag and handed it to Estelle.

“Cristofer and I are getting married in seven days, and we’d like to invite you to our wedding.”

Estelle did not reach out her hand but chuckled, “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll make a scene at your wedding?”

“You won’t,” Gretchen responded with a confident smile, “Unless you want to lose your son.”

The smile on Estelle’s face vanished. Her heart skipped a beat.

“How did you know….”

How did you know about my son? I’ve done many things to keep it a secret. Even Cristofer knows nothing about his existence. How is it possible?! Estelle wondered.

“Of course, I know about it. It was my mother who helped you deliver your baby.” Gretchen put on a vicious smile, “What a poor boy! He was born with sepsis, so he has always stayed in the ICU.”

“It was you?! My son got sick because of you?!”

Estelle had thought that her son’s sepsis had been caused by a medical accident all along. But it was not an accident but premeditation.

Gretchen thrust the wedding invitation into Estelle’s hand and sneered, “Ms. Hudson, if you want to save your son, just get divorced as soon as possible. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that the car accident that took your father’s and Cristofer’s parents’ lives five years ago was also planned by me. Just a little glitch in the brakes, and that was enough to handle three troublemakers. How wonderful!”

Estelle froze with shock. “You even killed my father and Cristofer’s parents. Why?! How could you?!”

“Cristofer’s parents liked you so much and only wanted you to be their daughter-in-law. If they were alive, how was it possible for me to replace you and marry Cristofer?”

Gretchen patted Estelle’s face and approached her, saying in a condescending tone, “Well, you should be grateful that I told you the truth. After all, you will never find out the truth by yourself. And telling you the truth doesn’t matter to me now as you and your son are dying anyway.”

“Ah–” Someone suddenly screamed.