Chapter 174 Identity Reveal 2
Joshua’s blood stained the gravestone, where a smiling picture of Krystal was placed on. In the picture, she still looked as young and sweet as she used to be back then.
Joshua passed out from the shock, and chaos broke out at the scene.
The Millers swiftly caught him.
“Joshua! Joshua!”
“Mr. Quinn, are you okay?”
Crystal could only stare at the unfolding scene, still holding onto John’s photo in a daze.
She knew that she was not John’s child, and she always wanted to find out who her biological father was. Yet, never in her wildest dreams did she expect Joshua Quinn, of all people, to be her father.
He was the man she had once looked up to, yet he was also the man who had thrown her into hell.
She could not bring herself to show any concern or sympathy when the man passed out. In fact, all she did was watch.
Even David and Henry could figure out that the daughter Joshua had been searching for all along was Crystal.
The revelation came like a bolt from the blue.
David sighed. Things would have ended up differently for Crystal and Henry if this was revealed earlier.
A while later, Joshua regained consciousness.
The sky began drizzling.
The funeral director wiped away the blood on the gravestone and cried out, “Rest in peace.” When the coffin lid closed, John and Krystal were laid to rest together.
“No!” Joshua stumbled and lunged toward the
grave.
“Krystal, let me take you home!”
Joshua, a man of high status, was doing something inappropriate during the funeral. The bystanders did not know what to do in response.
Furthermore, it was bad luck to have blood staining the gravestone of the deceased.
Right as Joshua was wallowing in misery, Crystal’s icy voice sounded out. “Mr. Quinn, this is my mother’s house, and she’s my father’s legal wife. Where do you plan to take her to? The Quinn family’s place? I do -remember that you have a legal wife too.”
Joshua shuddered.
Then, he instinctively turned to Crystal, the girl who resembled his beloved Krystal so much. He was sure that she was his flesh and blood, but at that moment, the look in her eyes held nothing but resentment. and apathy.
Unable to accept the cold and hard look Crystal was directing at him, Joshua coughed up another mouthful of blood.
He let the bystanders pull him to the side as he watched Krystal share a grave with another man for the rest of her afterlife.
Crystal ignored him as she stood beside Anna, quietly grieving.
The funeral came to an end.
The crowd slowly dispersed. David had initially wanted to have a talk with Crystal, but Joshua was in a bad condition, so he had no choice but to prioritize taking the latter away.
At the same time. Crystal headed back to the car with Anna supporting her.
Just then, Henry grabbed her arm and said, “Crystal, let’s talk.”
Crystal calmly turned to face him.
He was as attractive as usual, but Crystal found herself feeling nothing for him. Evidently, the presence of love played a huge part in a relationship.
With a polite but distant tone, she said, “Let’s talk another day. I’m not in the mood to talk about these
now.”
Henry’s face paled.
Parting his lips, he said, “Let me send you and Madam Anna back.”
Crystal lowered her gaze and muttered, “It’s fine. We’ve made arrangements for transportation. You should head home, Mr. Miller.”
Henry could guess what was on Crystal’s mind.
He knew her quite well, so he could tell that she had made up her mind in ending their relationship. Henry had mulled over the same matter, wondering if he should really end things with her, but whenever he lay in bed at night, he found himself missing Crystal and the days they shared together.
He did not want to break up with her or end things with her.
The house was quiet and no longer felt as lively without John.
Crystal and Anna quietly had their meal after reaching home.
After the meal, Anna approached Crystal and gave her a title deed.
Crystal snapped her head upward in surprise. “What is this, Madam Anna?”
Anna ruffled the younger woman’s hair and explained, “Crystal, I’d like to live in that little house in the suburbs. This house here is worth some money, so you can sell it if you encounter any financial difficulties. I’m not a particularly capable person, but the least I can do is not burden you.”
Crystal was crestfallen.
Hugging Anna, she choked out, “Why are you leaving? I want you to stay!”
Anna opened her mouth to speak but hesitated.
She had guessed that Joshua was Crystal’s biological father after the episode at the cemetery.
Crystal’s life would be easier if she stayed with him.
However, Crystal shook her head and protested, “I’m not going anywhere. I want to be with you, Madamı Anna!”
Anna let out a silent sigh.
She was at a loss for what to do. Without a doubt, she loved Crystal, but the latter was, ultimately, not her biological child. She could not selfishly keep her by her side.
Still hugging Anna, Crystal mumbled, “I’ll call you Mom, okay? I’ll call you Mom, so please don’t leave
me!”
Anna stiffened, and Crystal tightened her arms around the former.
Crystal’s voice was faint, and it reminded Anna of the very first time she met Crystal when she was a young, timid girl.
“Mom, please don’t go.”
Tears ran down Anna’s cheek.
She had been putting on a tough front since John’s death, so no one knew the despair she felt.
She had lost her husband, and she had no children of her own.
Yet, now, Crystal was calling her Mom.
Finally, Anna reciprocated the hug and said tearfully, “I won’t leave. I’m not going anywhere! I’ll stay with you since you called me your mom!”
Crystal found solace in Anna’s embrace, nestling in her arms and gratefully absorbing the warmth. radiating from Anna’s body.
After the episode, Anna forced her to take a nap.
When she woke up, she heard voices in the living room.
Crystal inched her way toward the living room, pressing her hand on the wall to support herself. When she saw who had come, she narrowed her eyes.
Joshua was sitting in the living room, an abundance of expensive supplements by his feet. When he saw Crystal, his lips trembled for a long while before he squeezed out, “Crystal.”
Crystal knew why he was there.
In a flat voice, she said, “We’ve troubled you with our family matters, Mr. Quinn. These things…”
Her eyes landed on the supplements before she continued, “Thank you for your gifts, but we can’t possibly accept them.”
Joshua stared at her.
The longer he studied her, the more he found her identical to Krystal. She was, indeed, a Quinn.
Krystal had already left the world, so he could not possibly bring her back home. However, Crystal was alive and the only remaining descendant of the Quinn family. How could he possibly not take her home?
He was going to give her everything in the world.
After a moment of recollecting himself, Joshua gently said, “I heard you play the piano well, and David once told me that he thought of sending you to Ferropene. There is a good teacher I know there, too. If that won’t do, perhaps I can teach you myself.”
He wanted to make up for everything he had done by helping his precious daughter become a top pianist.
That way, Krystal would be able to rest in peace.
Joshua continued talking, but Crystal’s only response was a faint smile.
She hung her head and stared down at her foot.
Her foot was hurt so badly that she would no longer be able to drive a car, let alone become a top pianist.
She would never go to Ferropene, either.
Nonetheless, Crystal didn’t reveal any of that to Joshua and only smiled. “Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Quinn, but I don’t think I’ll need it. Well, if there’s nothing else, I won’t be seeing you out.”
She turned to look at Anna, for it was difficult for her to move around due to her injury.
Anna respected her decision, picking up the gift bags and politely seeing Joshua out.
Joshua was still reluctant to give up. “Mrs. Winters, you-”
Anna flashed him a smile.
She then said, “I understand you mean well. Mr. Quinn, but after all that has happened, we need to respect the girl’s wishes, don’t we? You loved your daughter, but John and I were everything Crystal had.”
Her words pierced Joshua’s heart like sharp arrows.
Belonging naturally to the metropolitan elite with a plethora of properties registered to his name, Henry Miller was the preeminent attorney in the country. Nevertheless, he also assumed an additional role—Robert's forthcoming brother-in-law. Crystal hesitated momentarily, but then she mused, If Robert can cheat on me, why can't I indulge and enjoy myself too?Instead of pushing Henry away, she held onto him even tighter as she was beautiful and had an attractive figure.
