Chapter 282 Delicate
Upon his return to the law firm, Henry found himself engrossed in his work. An hour later, a file was delivered to him.
Lara Chamber was twenty-two years old. She was brought to Mount Lorcroft during her formative years. Her adoptive parents passed away when she was twelve, and she was left to fend for herself.
The detective retrieved a cigarette and positioned it between his lips. “Something unpleasant happened to this girl when she was sixteen, so her biological family refused to acknowledge her despite finding her.”
Something unpleasant…
Henry could make a reasonable assumption.
As he was silent, the detective asked, “How shall we proceed? Should we bring her in?”
“No.” Henry responded in a measured tone. “Secure a suitable part-time job for her, but exclude any mention of me.”
As a mature individual, he could discern the admiration he detected in Lara’s gaze toward him. Although he sympathized with her situation, he did not want to entangle himself in intricate affairs. After all, he and Grystal were still not on good terms.
Having spent time with Crystal for more than half a year, he had figured out her temperament-she was undeniably possessive.
With matters addressed, he found himself alone in his office, lost in his thoughts.
Beyond the windowpane, snowflakes continued to fall from the sky.
He examined his feelings.
Recollections of the late Audrey and his current wife, Crystal, occupied his thoughts. Amidst this introspection, he acknowledged a degree of fondness for Crystal, even if a significant portion of this sentiment was tied to her physical attributes.
By the time he returned to reality, it was already nine at night.
The night sky lay shrouded in darkness, illuminated solely by the falling snow.
Henry grabbed his coat and left the law firm. On his way back to the Miller residence, he spotted a florist still open. He stopped and bought a bouquet of champagne roses.
He mused that women always had an affinity for flowers.
At ten, his car pulled up before the Miller residence.
By then, lights were already off at the Miller residence, and the living room was dimly lit. As he began to remove his coat with intentions to head upstairs, a low voice rang out. “Where have you been? It’s so late already.”
The room lights were switched on, forcing Henry to shield his eyes momentarily before adjusting to the newfound brightness.
Seated on the couch with legs crossed and a disgruntled expression was David. “You’ve finally decided to
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grace us with your presence, huh? If I were your wife, I’d have left you. Oh? You even bought flowers? Do you think your wife is in need of bouquets when she has an abundance of them?”
A sense of helplessness overcame Henry. “Dad, let’s talk about this tomorrow.”
Just as he was about to make his way upstairs, David sneered, “Your wife isn’t back yet. If I were her, I wouldn’t return either! Only you could do such a thing as leaving your wife behind on a snowy day! Henry, let me offer you a piece of advice. Keep up with your reckless behavior and your wife’s patience will wane sooner or later. There are plenty of people out there who are interested in your wife. Don’t overestimate yourself.”
Henry went back down the stairs and slipped on his coat.
“Where are you off to?”
“The mansion.”
His motivations eluded him; he wasn’t certain why he was proceeding in this manner. He acknowledged Crystal’s maturity and the fact that she possessed her own drivers and security personnel. Her safety was not a concern. Yet, that night, his yearning compelled him to see her.
Deep into the night, his car halted at the mansion.
He
got out of the vehicle and saw that the lights were on, on the second floor.
Crystal was there.
He walked into the living room with the flowers. The housekeeper took his coat and said, “Mrs. Miller has been in the study for quite some time. She skipped dinner.”
Henry nodded in acknowledgement and went up the stairs.
She must be angry. I told her I would send her to the dinner, but I left midway. Yes. Women often seek reassurance.
In the study on the second floor, Crystal was holding a file containing Lara’s background information Lara was Audrey’s biological sister.
She smoked, dated, and even had an abortion despite her young age.
Crystal lowered her gaze, her lips forming a chilly smile.
She has had an interesting life, and yet, she now assumes the role of an innocent young woman. Even my husband feels pity for her, offering her a respectable job for the sake of a dead woman.
A sense of suffocation overcame Crystal.
She would not allow a young woman like Lara to approach Henry. She did not want anyone to harm her loved ones again.
She sat down slowly and reached out for a lighter and set the file aflame.
The ashes burnt her hand.
Just then, the door opened, and Henry frowned at her. “What are you burning?”
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Crystal raised her head to meet his gaze.
He donned a designer coat and looked handsome as always.
He was her beloved husband, and yet, he was like a stranger to her.
After a long while, she answered softly, “Something from the past.”
Henry came over to her and offered her the bouquet. She accepted it and inhaled its fragrance.
“Do you like them?”
“No woman dislikes flowers.”
Henry moved to the back of the desk, leaning in for a long kiss. His lips still on hers, he asked, “Are you upset?”
“Yeah,” Crystal responded dazedly.
A gentle chuckle escaped Henry’s lips. He found her honesty quite endearing. Sometimes, she had an adorable charm to her.
The room was warm on that snowy night.
He kissed her, and sparks flew.
M
While they were lost in the moment, Crystal felt a square object in his pocket. A realization hit her. Forty- two days had passed since she had given birth. It dawned on her that his hurried return tonight likely harbored amorous intentions.
A sneer grew on Crystal’s lips.
Extracting the small item from his pocket, she placed it on the desk. Under the dim light, she uttered slowly, “Henry, I’ve said before that love involving three people is overly complicated. I still believe that If you can’t move on from the past, we can’t proceed.”
Henry, a prideful man, was a little frustrated.
He knew Crystal had uncovered the truth.
Suppressing his annoyance, he responded, “There’s nothing going on between us. I have no interest in a young woman like her.”
Crystal looked up slowly, her eyes red.
“You’re giving her false hope. She might believe that your attention comes from your regard for her sister, Audrey. She might even aim to replace Audrey’s position in your heart.” Crystal traced his chest with her. fingers. “Henry, if you genuinely care, then helping her is not the right way. I will not wait for you forever.”
Henry’s tone took on the tenderness of a lover’s whisper. “What do you want me to do?”
Crystal went straight to the point. “She’s an adult, fully capable of surviving on her own. Withdraw any special treatment and support for her.”
Henry’s gaze darkened.
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“I believe you’ve already done your investigation on her tragic past, Crystal, you’re a woman with billions. Can’t you show leniency to someone who only has a monthly salary of five thousand?”
“She’s after my husband. Am I supposed to sympathize with her?”
Henry straightened his posture slowly, his gaze fixed on her. The expression he wore shattered Crystal’s heart into fragments.
He pushed open the door and left.
Crystal did not run after him. She did not want to live a worthless life.
She sat in silence for a considerable time, eventually retrieving the journal Henry had left for her from the drawer. As she turned its pages methodically, her vision became increasingly blurred.
Henry probably won’t treat me this way. Before he left, his wife and daughter had been his priority. A random woman named Lara wouldn’t make him enrage me.
That night, Crystal chose not to return to their shared bedroom.
The two spent the night separately, lost in their own thoughts.
When morning arrived, Henry awoke to find an empty space beside him.
Crystal did not come back to the room.
After freshening up, he descended the stairs. In a bin near the staircase, he noticed the discarded bouquet.
of roses.
“Mrs. Miller went to the office early this morning,” a housekeeper informed.
“All right,” Henry responded placidly.
His
gaze fell on the piano. He recognized it as the same one played by Ludweig, and he knew that its name was Morning Dew.
“Crystal, do you like it? Crystal, you’re my morning dew.”
Pain pulsed through Henry’s head. It was almost unbearable. Those words kept echoing in his mind. However, he couldn’t remember anything when he returned to his senses.
Taking in his expression, the housekeeper muttered, “I heard this piano was a gift from you to Mrs. Miller. It was quite pricey.” She made a gesture. “It was six hundred million.”
Six hundred million? Did I lose my mind?
Henry walked over to the piano and lifted the lid. Without hesitation, he played the tune of Moonlight
Lovers.
Outside the window, the gentle snow continued to fall.
He played the piece twice.
Finally, he looked at his own hands and mumbled under his breath, “Did I truly love her that much?”
Crystal began giving him the cold shoulder.
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She refused to pick up his calls and avoided seeing him in person. Other than the occasional glimpse of her at the Miller residence, he mostly encountered his wife through newspaper articles.
However, she was not Mrs. Miller. She was Miss Winters, the CEO of Seeas Corporation.
Henry was a busy person as well. He returned to the legal profession and took on endless big cases.
His schedule was often filled with business trips, leaving limited opportunities for their paths to cross.
During this period, Lara made a visit to his office once.
He chose not to meet her in person; instead, through his secretary, he relayed a message for her not to
return.
At times, when moments of tranquility allowed, his thoughts would inevitably wander to Crystal.
Reflecting on their heated argument that fateful night, he came to realize that he should not have allowed. someone as inconsequential as Lara to jeopardize their relationship. However, Henry’s distaste for being. manipulated by women extended even to his own wife.
As the year drew to a close, Crystal skillfully managed Secas Corporation, carving her distinct presence in the upper echelons of Barnwood society. No longer just an accessory to Henry, she stood as an accomplished individual in her own
On the night of Christmas Eve, she attended a lavish banquet, the heady atmosphere taking a toll and leaving her a bit lightheaded as she stepped outside into the frigid weather.
Her tipsiness vanished in an instant.
At the sight of her, Joel quickly walked over and draped a coat around her. “You should have worn this coat inside. Being young doesn’t mean you should disregard your health by exposing yourself. If you catch a cold, Mr. and Mrs. Miller will certainly have my head!”
For a moment, Crystal was taken aback.,
Then, she recalled that “Mr. and Mrs. Miller” referred to David and Julia.
With a placid smile, she replied, “I’ve been working out lately, so I’m feeling quite healthy.”
“But you just gave birth to Mr. Remi two months ago. A woman’s body is delicate, so please take good care of yourself.”
Crystal felt a warmth in her heart.
“Thank you, Joel. I’ll keep that in mind.”
As he opened the car door for her, he said in a more cheerful tone, “Let’s get back soon. It’s almost Christmas, and there’s a lot happening at home!”
Just as she prepared to step into the car, a voice rang out from behind.
“Mrs. Miller!”
Crystal’s body stiffened, and she turned around slowly.
Not far away stood Lara, who was dressed in little clothes despite the cold.
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<
As she approached Crystal, she was stopped by several imposing bodyguards who had formed a barrier between them.
Lara’s lips trembled, and she fixed her gaze on Crystal.
The wind was strong tonight.
Crystal was dressed in a red dress beneath her coat. She was all bundled up.
Behind her was an expensive sedan, and she wore expensive jewelry.
Despite enjoying the things that Henry had given to her, to Lara, Crystal seemed ungrateful. Her lips. quivered, and she said, “Mrs. Miller, you shouldn’t treat Mr. Miller that way.”
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.
