Crystal’s One Night of Love Chapter 292

Chapter 292 Do Not Touch Me

Henry found himself engulfed in the constant swirl of his demanding job and the social obligations that

came with it.

Frustrated, he drank, letting the intoxicating liquid cloud his thoughts more than he should have. The world seemed to sway as he staggered toward his car.

His driver, unfamiliar with his personal life, remarked as he opened the door for Henry, “Mr. Miller, you’ve had one too many. Miss Winters won’t be pleased. Women seldom are when their men are inebriated.”

Leaning into the plush upholstery of the backseat, Henry pulled out a cigarette, letting its familiar scent wrap around him.

He lit the cigarette. As the smoke danced from his lips, he murmured with a hint of irony, “As if she cares.”

Being married to Crystal felt as lonely as being single.

Crystal was indifferent toward him.

It had been a few months since they were intimate with each other.

She refused to let him touch her.

It was only normal for couples to fight every now and then. However, she had resolved to move to another room. It wasn’t just the lack of physical connection. Even a mere conversation with her felt like scaling a mountain.

Not wanting to wade into those deep waters, the driver simply resumed his place behind the wheel.

Just as he was about to depart, a mellifluous voice floated through the air. “Mr. Miller!”

Henry turned, and there, limping unevenly with a cane, was Lara.

She traced his gaze that landed on her injured leg. “The doctor says it’ll heal in a couple of months with no lasting damage.”

She flashed him a woeful smile, expecting, perhaps, even hoping, that he might have visited her during his wife’s cold spell.

Yet, he never did.

However, that was all right. If he wouldn’t come to me, I’ll just find a way to him.

Acknowledging her with a nod, Henry instructed his driver to drive away.

The driver nodded and turned the car around. Lara’s lips twisted into a smirk as the luxurious car pulled away.

She released her grip on the cane, crumbling to the ground in a display of vulnerability.

Henry caught sight of it. He furrowed his brows slightly and ordered to stop the car after a brief moment. of consideration.

The driver was stumped.

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In an impassive voice, he ordered, “Help her into the car and send her back home.”

The driver replied hesitatingly, “Miss Winters won’t be pleased if she knows of this.”

Intoxicated, Henry said in a rather exasperated tone, “She won’t know if you keep your mouth shut. Besides, I’m only asking you to send her home.”

The driver bit his tongue and got out of the car to help Lara.

Lara sat beside Henry.

He closed his eyes and did not speak to her, but they were in such close proximity to each other that she could smell the faint scent of pine on him.

She stealthily turned aside to sneak a peek at him, drinking in Henry’s chiseled features.

His side profile was perfect, exuding an air of nobility.

Lara couldn’t help but eye in wonder at the luxurious interior of the car.

She pictured herself being together with Henry. Her cheeks were tinged pink as she leaned in to take in his heavenly scent, imagining herself underneath him…

Will his face contort in ecstasy as he presses down on me?

Lara felt warm tingles all over her body just thinking about it.

An audacious thought flitted across her mind as she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on his pristine white shirt, leaving behind the faintest trace of her coral lipstick.

It would easily escape one’s eyes if one didn’t pay attention to it.

Henry furrowed his brows and opened his eyes, making Lara fumble to set her back straight.

Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a condominium in a nice neighborhood.

The driver helped Lara out of the car.

Henry didn’t intend to get out of the car. Lara bowed and said softly, “Mr. Miller, thank you for sending me home. If… if you need me to explain to Mrs. Miller, please do not hesitate to ask me. Nothing happened between us!”

Henry merely stared at her petite face and smiled faintly, saying nothing.

When the car started again, Henry did not have the heart to continue his пар.

In that fleeting moment, when Lara had leaned close, he felt it. Here was a young woman, so eerily reminiscent of that other, and furthermore, she was Audrey’s younger sister. Her attentiveness to him was undeniable.

He knew, with just the barest embrace, he could claim her.

He could possess a young and compliant lover, using her as a substitute.

Henry admitted to himself that those few seconds of intimacy were a test he set for himself.

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He was curious at how much he truly cared for Crystal.

When Lara leaned close to him, all he thought about was Crystal, of her vulnerability when her eyes were closed, lost in her music. The surge of emotions he felt then couldn’t compare to any amount of attention from Lara.

Men always weighed their options, and Henry chose his family.

He chose Crystal.

At the Miller residence, as Henry stepped out of his car, he glanced up at the house. In the deepening. night, most of the lights had been snuffed out, but the light from Crystal’s room still gleamed.

He moved through the foyer, ascending the stairs at a leisurely pace.

After he took a look at Skyler and Remi, he gently turned the knob of Crystal’s bedroom door.

She hadn’t locked it. The door yielded effortlessly.

Crystal reclined on the couch, adorned in a soft silk nightgown that shimmered under the lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and delicate. She had fallen asleep holding a novel.

Henry was always entranced by her.

The alcohol coursing through him and the prolonged dry spell between them stirred a longing.

He leaned down, held her close, and kissed her tenderly yet fervently.

Crystal did not wake.

She proved to be more docile in her dreams.

After a few moments, his hands began to wander more eagerly.

She stirred, her eyes hazy with sleep, and met his, focusing on his handsome visage.

And then, she saw it-the faint hint of coral lipstick on his white shirt collar.

It was a mark of another woman.

Her gaze was fixed, unwavering, even as his passion seemed undiminished, his hands already working at the buttons of her nightgown.

“Let go!” Crystal’s face was pale, as if drained of all blood.

Henry, mistaking her resistance as mere coyness, whispered against the soft spot behind her ears, “Still mad at me, huh?”

As she lay there, her body was a vision of allure, yet her voice was chilling. “You met Lara today, didn’t you?”

His movements faltered.

After a beat, he looked into her eyes and admitted, “It was a chance meeting. I gave her a lift.”

Crystal adjusted her nightgown, her slender fingers deftly undoing two of his shirt buttons to reveal the

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lipstick stain.

That coral shade was cunningly chosen.

His brow furrowed. “It was just a ride. The driver was there. What could have happened?”

Henry loathed the lingering scent of another woman on him as well. He removed the tainted shirt, discarding it in the trash.

Turning to face Crystal, he declared, “I haven’t betrayed our marriage.”

Crystal felt too exhausted even to be angry.

Sitting silently, tears brimmed in her eyes as she calmly said. “You did nothing, sure. You just helped her resume her studies, rented her a condominium, paid her tuition, and found her a great job. Tell me, Henry, how is that different from keeping a mistress?”

His face tensed. “I don’t have such intentions.”

Crystal refused to look at him.

She moved to stand by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the night, and murmured. “You let her get close to you and allowed her to challenge your lawful wife. Your relationship with her has already crossed the line. If the driver hadn’t been there today, you would have tested yourself further. You might have followed her back to her condominium, let her remove your coat, perhaps even indulged her advances. She could have become your lover, a substitute for… Audrey.”

He was lighting a cigarette when the heat from the ember burned his finger.

After a moment, he said, “Why do you paint it so ugly, Crystal?”

She didn’t argue and merely whispered, “The truth is often harsh. Henry, you have only come! tonight because I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder. If our relationship was going well, an like Lara showed up, I doubt that you’ll resist her advances.”

It pained Crystal to speak her mind.

Truths, indeed, could be ugly.

Henry had drunk a bit too much that his head throbbed.

ome

Observing her silhouette, he felt no point in discussing it further tonight. Rubbing his temple, he said. “Let’s talk tomorrow. Get some rest.”

Crystal stood still, only speaking up when he was about to exit.

“Take your shirt with you.”

He glanced back, seeing just the estrangement in her posture, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she had ever truly loved him.

Had they ever really been in love?

After Henry left, Crystal found herself padding back to the couch.

She grazed her fingertips over the novel, her face betraying little emotion. But deep within, the moment

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Henry had taken an interest in Lara’s matters, she knew this day would come.

The memory of the intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey from years ago was a hard one to

crase.

Now that Henry had regained his memories, and yet his first crush had regrettably passed, what man could resist the allure of an impeccable substitute?

She knew what Henry had in mind.

If they were still not married, and she wasn’t bound by the love for her children, she might have fought. their relationship.

However, for Skyler and Remi’s sake, she refused to let herself be consumed by the uncertainty, by the fear of gaining or losing love.

Perhaps, it was time.

She opened the drawer of her bedside table and withdrew two documents-a separation agreement and divorce papers.

The next morning, Crystal attended to her two children as usual.

The strain between her and Henry was palpable, but they both tried to mask it in front of their children. However, Skyler, with her keen sensitivity, picked up on the changes.

While eating, the girl voiced her concerns. “Mommy, are we moving?”

She had overheard a conversation the previous night about Crystal looking for a larger home with five

rooms.

Taken aback, Crystal responded with a gentle pinch to Skyler’s cheeks and a soft smile.

“Would you like to live there with me? It’s closer to your kindergarten. Imagine me holding your hand. every morning on our way to school.”

Sometimes, she envisioned, she could even push Remi in a stroller when picking up Skyler.

Henry, having overheard this, approached them.

Crystal is going to move out with the kids?

He took a seat beside Crystal. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation in front of the kids. Leaning in. he whispered, “Let the driver take Skyler. Crystal, we need to talk.”

Their conversation paused as Crystal tended to Skyler.

She remained indifferent toward Henry.

Even with d’mning evidence from the previous night, she didn’t explode.

After Skyler had left for kindergarten, Henry took the car keys and said, “Let me send you to work today. We’ll talk on the way.”

Crystal agreed.

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She sat in the passenger seat. Even after one whole night, the lingering scent of another woman permeated the car.

Crystal reckoned it was Lara’s.

She took out the two papers from her bag.

“If you sign the separation agreement, we’ll divorce in two years. If you sign the divorce papers, it will be immediate. The only real difference is the visitation rights for the children these two years.”

Skimming the papers, Henry realized there was minimal difference between the two, especially concerning property.

Secas Corporation’s assets were under Crystal’s name, to begin with.

She asked for no property, only custody of their children.

He tossed the documents aside, lit a cigarette, and filled the car with a smoky haze.

Choking slightly, she cracked the window just as he said, “Do you really think my father would let you walk away with the Miller family’s children?”

Crystal’s eyes glistened. “He already agreed.”

Henry’s hands trembled as he held the cigarette. “Is this about last night? Nothing happened between us. I did not even kiss her.”

He had only let Lara get close to him because his wife had been giving him the cold shoulder for far too long.

Henry didn’t want to separate, much less a divorce.

He wanted to solve the problem that had been plaguing them. Henry caught onto her wrist and asked gently, “Why not take a trip, just the two of us?”

Crystal retracted her hand.

She leaned back on the car seat and said in an exhausted tone, “Henry, let’s split up.” Then, she got out of the car and prepared to get into another car.

Henry chased after her, smacked on her car door, and pleaded, “Crystal, let’s talk!”

He didn’t want a divorce.

It wasn’t just for the sake of reputation but for the sake of their children. He didn’t want them to have a broken family.

The driver appeared conflicted. “Mrs. Miller?”

Crystal ordered him to drive.

The black sedan slowly drove past Henry. Crystal thought she wouldn’t harbor any more feelings toward him. However, she found tears brimming in her eyes.

She was utterly disappointed with Henry.

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While she had once loved this version of him, different beginnings had led them to different endings.

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Chapter 293 An Immediate Divorce

Henry did not want to divorce.

Over the next few days, he persistently pestered Crystal and often showed up at Seeas Corporation when it was time for her to get off work.

Everyone thought they were a lovely couple.

Crystal, however, felt mentally exhausted.

She had been accommodating to him in various ways, even tolerating his fiery temper and inappropriate.

conduct in bed.

However, he overstepped her boundaries time and again when it came to matters concerning Lara. He was fully aware of the woman’s ambitions, yet he persisted in letting her remain by his side.

It was as though Henry did not respect his wife.

In fact, he believed that as long as he didn’t engage in physical intimacy with other women, he could still consider himself a faithful husband.

At five-thirty in the evening, Crystal signed the document and handed it to Edith. “Distribute these and then feel free to leave for the day.”

“Miss Winters, Mr. Miller called and said that he wishes to pick up Skyler together with you,” Edith informed.

Seeing that Crystal remained silent, Edith didn’t dare to say more. She departed the office while clutching: the documents.

Crystal sat at her desk for a while, lost in thought. A moment later, she packed up her belongings and left.

As she descended in the elevator, she remained deep in thought.

Henry’s persistent harassment and refusal to divorce have become unbearable. Now, he’s attempting to manipulate my emotions by involving our child. Little does he know, it’s precisely our child that propelled me to make this decision so swiftly!

Meanwhile, Henry sat comfortably on a sofa at the Secas Corporation lounge, radiating an air of sophistication.

He was wearing a gray shirt paired with a classic black suit, and his chiseled features were radiant. It was as though he was not a man on the verge of being divorced.

At Crystal’s arrival, Henry quickly stood up and graciously took her bag. “The kindergarten has an event today, so the classes will run a bit longer. We’ll be able to make it in time to pick up Skyler,” he said with a gentle smile.

He was an intelligent man; he knew that Crystal would not want to kick up a fuss in public.

Moreover, she wanted Skyler to be happy too.

As Crystal stepped into his car, Henry could sense her reluctance to engage with him. Every time they met, her most frequent inquiry revolved around when he would finally sign the divorce papers.

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Henry gulped before saying in a deep voice, “Buckle up!”

Crystal snapped back to her senses.

After she secured her seatbelt, he started the car and asked gently, “Shall we take Skyler out for dinner later? Last night, she kept insisting on having dinner with both her parents.”

His words carried an unspoken message, and Crystal naturally caught on.

She remained silent for a brief moment before finally responding. “After our divorce, you’re welcome to spend time with both her and Remi whenever you please.”

Henry’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning pale.

He inquired softly, “And what about you? Can’t I see you as well?”

Crystal was greatly saddened.

She had once made a promise not to give up on him, but now she was reneging on that commitment.

“Of course, we can meet. However, our relationship has changed.” She averted her gaze and murmured.

Henry didn’t press further. It was a while later before he spoke, his voice barely audible. “Crystal, can’t you forgive me this time?”

Crystal’s lips quivered.

There was so much she wanted to say, yet in the end, she kept silent.

Subsequently, he kept quiet too.

Silence ensued.

They reached the kindergarten entrance, where several parents were waiting to collect their children. Crystal couldn’t afford to display any discord in front of outsiders. Thus, they walked side by side to pick. Skyler up.

However, when she saw Skyler, she felt her blood run cold.

Skyler stood rooted to the spot.

Her large eyes had lost their sparkle, and her delicate fingers gripped her skirt tightly.

She seemed to have closed herself off.

Lara was kneeling in front of Skyler, her expression softening into a gentle smile as she attempted to soothe the little girl.

“These candies are a present from me, Skyler. Do you like them?”

After a short pause, she continued, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you like me? Your daddy really

adores me.”

The kindergarten teacher was in a state of panic.

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Rage coursed through Crystal.

What the hell is wrong with Lara? How dare she! She resorted to harassing a child when she failed to win Henry’s heart. How is she different from Audrey?

Lara began to sense that something was awry. A pang of fear gripped her, and as she looked up. she spotted Crystal and Henry. She instinctively tried to defend herself, assuming an innocent and pitiful demeanor. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I didn’t intend for this to happen. I don’t know how she ended. this! Should we take her to the hospital?”

Crystal gently cradled Skyler in her arms.

Next, she lifted her hand and delivered two stinging slaps across Lara’s face.

up like

Lara’s lip started bleeding, and one side of her face swelled. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke through sobs. “Mrs. Miller, I meant no harm!”

Crystal fought to compose herself and uttered tersely, “You’ll be held responsible if anything happens to Skyler!”

With that, she lifted Skyler into her arms.

Henry tried to intervene. “Crystal, let me carry her.”

Without hesitation, Crystal forcefully pushed him away. At that moment, she couldn’t even bear to look at

him.

Had he not yielded to Lara repeatedly, had he not misled her, had he not assigned someone to look after her, driven her home, and flirted with her, she wouldn’t have dared to harass Skyler. She thinks she can have her way because Henry gives in to her time and again. Enough is enough!

Henry immediately chased after Crystal.

However, someone grabbed his arm. When he turned around, he saw it was Lara. Her voice trembled as she uttered, “Mr. Miller, I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

Henry pushed her aside as he had no intention of engaging with her.

Crystal was already inside the car.

Henry opened the car door, got in, and turned to Skyler. The little girl remained motionless in her mother’s arms, refusing to speak or react. This was the first time he had seen Skyler behave like this since. his amnesia.

Clenching his teeth, he started the car and drove away.

Meanwhile, Lara touched her cheek and stood in a daze. When Henry pushed her away earlier, he had been rough, not at all holding back his strength. Disgust had shone in his eyes as well.

Why did he look disgusted? Doesn’t he… like my looks?

After Crystal brought Skyler back home, she gave the girl a dose of calming medicine and then tried to soothe her to sleep.

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She stood beneath the osmanthus tree in the courtyard and relentlessly plucked leaves from its branches.

Crystal’s heart ached intensely when she saw Skyler’s head hung low.

Draping a thick coat over Skyler, she crouched beside her to offer companionship. The night passed quickly, and Skyler had stripped a small tree of its leaves.

Crystal gently hugged the little girl.

Just then, a wool jacket was placed over her shoulders. From behind, a deep, husky voice advised, “You should put on more clothing. It’s quite cold outside!”

Feeling a strong aversion toward him, she threw the jacket aside and pushed him away.

Her abrupt movement caught Henry off guard, causing him to lose his balance and collide with the nearby stone pillar. Blood began to trickle from his forehead.

It was indeed a shocking sight in the dimly lit night.

However, Henry simply wiped off the blood with his hand, not appearing overly concerned.

Crystal held back her emotions and said sternly, “Previously, Skyler was hurt by Audrey twice! Now, Lara approached Skyler to win your favor, which led to our daughter closing herself off from the world in her fright! Do you know that Skyler hasn’t had a relapse in a very long time? Henry, this is the consequence of your condoning Lara’s actions. Look at what your flirtatious actions have caused!”

Why should I bear the burden of the consequences of his past romance? Why must my suffering persist even after Audrey’s passing? Why is it that another woman soon appears and continues to cause me pain? Her little sister, no less!

By then, Crystal wished for nothing but to distance herself from Henry.

Skyler managed to regain her senses in the latter part of the night.

She hurled herself into her mother’s embrace and whimpered softly.

Crystal understood her daughter was afraid, so she held the little girl close and gently comforted her.

The night air was chilly with the spring breeze.

Skyler’s cheeks were tinged red from the cold. She clung to Crystal’s neck while sobbing. “I’m hungry!”

Crystal kissed her forehead and assured her, “I’ll cook something delicious for you!”

With that, she carried Skyler indoors.

Tears of joy welled up in David’s and Julia’s eyes as Skyler was finally willing to speak.

David had braved the cold and remained faithfully by Skyler’s side all this time. He held her close and peppered her with affectionate kisses, longing to shoulder her pain himself.

Meanwhile, Crystal was in the kitchen preparing food for Skyler.

Skyler dug into her food, savoring every bite.

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“Thank you, Mom!” Crystal then sat down and quietly enjoyed the noodles.

While Henry observed the unfolding scene, an unfamiliar sensation washed over him, making him feel like a bystander.

“Come over here!” David said in a stern voice.

Moments later, father and son were in the study.

Henry had just finished tending to his wound when David flung a paperweight at him.

With a finger pointed at his son, he berated angrily, “You fool! Is that woman really worth it? Look at how much Crystal cares for the children! Do you think she would treat the children so well if she didn’t love. you?”

Upon seeing Henry’s confused expression, David scoffed, “Sure, you might have forgotten all about your past, but isn’t it clearly stated in your household registry that you have four family members? You are Crystal’s husband and Skyler and Remi’s father! That woman brought this upon herself, so why are you intervening?”

After venting his anger, David suddenly felt a wave of weariness wash over him.

In the middle of the night, the light illuminated the creases on his face clearly, alluding to his old age.

He waved his hand and sat down. “Perhaps this is fate. Crystal wants a divorce. Though your mother and I are reluctant, Crystal once suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to Skyler. Henry, do as you wish from now on. I just need to make it clear that I won’t agree to let any shameless woman be part of the family. The Miller family’s inheritance also belongs to Skyler and Remi. No one else shall receive anything!”

Henry also took a seat quietly. Taking out a cigarette, he lit it.

After remaining silent for a moment, he said hoarsely, “Dad, I don’t want to divorce Crystal.”

David let out a soft sigh and spoke with a touch of sadness. “I’m a man too, Henry. I can understand your thoughts. But do you realize that before your memory loss, you and Crystal shared a profound love for each other? Your feelings for Audrey can’t even compare to what you experienced with Crystal. The more Crystal loves you, the more disappointed she is!”

Henry sat in the room until dawn broke.

As the sky cleared, he slowly got up and went to Skyler’s room.

The little girl was fast asleep.

A row of delicate little fans adorned the bedside.

With her fair complexion and warm skin, she looked so tender and adorable.

Henry stared at her for a moment before giving her a gentle kiss.

He truly adored Skyler; she was such an adorable and elever girl!

He had an important court hearing in the morning, and the time was getting late. Hence, he returned to

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Unexpectedly, Crystal was in his room. She sat quietly on the sofa, and it appeared as if she had been waiting for him for a long time.

There was a divorce agreement placed on the coffee table.”

Henry’s heart skipped a beat.

Is she intending to skip the phase of living separately and directly ask for a divorce?

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Under the faint early morning sunlight, Crystal’s face seemed particularly pale. Yet, she appeared very calm. “Sign it!”

Henry stared at her.

After a long while, he shut the door gently and walked over to take the document. “Crystal… What happened yesterday was an accident. I promise you that she won’t show herself in front of Skyler ever again!”

To that, Crystal smiled coldly.

She had no wish to listen to his promises anymore!

All she wanted was the safety of her children..

She maintained her composure as she said, “Once you have signed the agreement and Skyler has calmed down, I’ll take both the children and move somewhere else!”

Despite everything, Crystal was still quite upset.

She had been hopeful when she first moved there.

At the time, she thought that Henry might experience the warmth of a family. Perhaps, she was wrong right from the beginning. A year ago, when he abandoned his family to save Lara, she should have given up then.

Henry was still looking at her and noticed the tears at the corners of her eyes.

He threw the document back onto the coffee table.

Then, he went to the closet to change his clothes. However, he did not find anything suitable.

In the end, he stood there and said, “Do you think I have no feelings for you? But, Crystal… If that’s really the case, then I wouldn’t have moved back with you!”

He refused to sign the divorce papers.

“Crystal, do you not love me anymore?” he asked.

Crystal replied calmly, “No, I don’t. Henry, I only want to lead a peaceful life!”

Henry had already changed into a shirt. He then took it off before trying another one on.

After a few more changes, he finally walked out of the closet.

He looked at her and said softly, “I don’t want a divorce!”

Crystal looked down with a faint smile. “I will find a way! Henry, if you don’t sign the papers, then don’t blame me for hurting your darling!”

Henry sneered, “She isn’t my darling. You are!”

Crystal burst out laughing.