Chapter 243 Melora Has A Kid
Next to the café was a milkshake bar.
There was a long queue at the door, and Melora was standing in the middle while holding a two-year-old boy by the hand.
They had probably waited for quite some time because the child began to throw a tantrum, prompting Melora to scoop him up into her arms.
As Crystal silently observed the scene, she could feel tears gradually welling up in her and her chest tightening.
eyes
Melora has been pampered from a young age, and I doubt she even knows she has to wait in line to buy food and drinks. I can’t believe she’s now carrying a little boy and queueing under the scorching sun with the rest of the crowd. She has also swapped out her fancy outfits for a simple white shirt and washed jeans, huh? More importantly, she has lost so much weight it’s impossible to tell she used to live a sheltered life…
Crystal shut her eyes.
Madison, who had followed Crystal’s gaze, was equally dumbfounded. “Isn’t that Melora? W- Why does she have a child?”
Hot-headed as usual, the woman wanted to drag Melora home when Crystal pulled her back. “Don’t!”
I’ve been through the same predicament and know how Melora feels. It wasn’t easy for her to have this child, and I’m sure she’s deliberately staying away from home because she wants to protect him. She was probably afraid that her parents would be disappointed in her and force her to have an abortion…
“Don’t make a scene, Madison!” Crystal added.
Just then, the driver brought Skyler to Crystal after the girl refused to stop clamoring for her mother.
Upon seeing the teary-eyed Crystal, Skyler leaned against her and carefully wiped her tears. away.
“Don’t cry, Mommy!”
Needless to say, Madison was full of envy. “Daughters sure are more considerate!”
“Stay here. I’ll go check on Melora,” Crystal said softly. “By the way, don’t let Charles know about this. I’m worried Melora might panic and run away again.”
Madison knew the gravity of the situation and nodded. “Okay. Have a good talk with her.”
Crystal took Skyler’s hand and walked toward the milkshake bar.
Melora had just bought her milkshake and was about to leave with her child when she heard a voice behind her. “Melora!”
Melora stiffened.
She slowly turned around, only to find herself face to face with Crystal and Skyler.
Melora’s lips quivered slightly.
Oh, my goodness. It has been two years since I last saw Crystal and Skyler. Alas, seeing them brings back memories of that man…
After a while, she finally greeted Crystal.
Her voice was always so full of grief and hurt, and she wanted nothing more than to bury herself in Crystal’s embrace and sulk like a child.
Crystal, too, felt a wave of sadness as she approached Melora and caressed the little boy’s
head.
The next second, she turned to her daughter. “Skyler, meet Aunt Melora!”
Skyler’s face instantly lit up. “Aunt Melora!”
Melora had a frog in her throat as she gazed at Skyler. Wow… It feels like I’ve returned to that fateful night three years ago.
“Look how big you’ve grown!” she finally said, pecking Skyler on the cheek before turning to Crystal. “This is my son, Berthold!”
Crystal handed Skyler to Melora and carried Berthold in her arms.
Looking at the boy’s fair, porcelain skin and dark brown hair, Crystal could immediately tell who his father was.
“His hair is brown like mine!” Skyler exclaimed.
For a moment, an awkward silence filled the air.
Skyler raised her head and met her mother’s gaze. “Mommy, you can cuddle him for as long as you like. I won’t be jealous. I promise!”
“All right,” Crystal replied with a gentle smile. “Why don’t
you follow your aunt?”
Even though Melora was visibly flustered, Crystal wasn’t about to let her go. “Come on. Let’s go to your place.”
After walking for almost fifteen minutes, the group turned into an alley and entered a rental unit that was only forty square meters.
The house was messy, with magazines and clothes strewn everywhere and nothing decent in sight.
Crystal’s heart ached so much that she was almost on the verge of tears.
Melora poured a glass of water for her and let the two children share the milkshake. Judging by the fact that she had only bought one milkshake for Berthold after braving the long queue, it was clear that she wasn’t well-off.
Crystal hugged Berthold and uttered, “Your brother told me you haven’t been home for two years. Is it because of the kid?”
Melora hummed in response.
“I only found out I was pregnant after we had gone on our separate ways! He doesn’t know about it, and it’s not like he can marry me, either.”
Not wanting to defend anyone, Crystal remained silent.
Oh,
poor
Melora and Berthold. The boy is already two years old, yet he’s still not part of the official family register!
After calming herself down, Crystal said, “I want you to come home with me!”
For a while, Melora kept her head lowered. “I can’t go back with you, Crystal! What happens if I do? There’s no way my parents and brother will raise Berthold without questions. They will want to seek justice for me…”
“Is that wrong, though?” Crystal asked.
Melora froze.
Crystal ruffled Berthold’s hair and continued, “You guys can’t live here forever.”
Melora refused to budge.
She carried Skyler and kissed her gently. “You’ve grown so big now, Skyler. This is our first meeting, but I don’t have much to give you…
She removed her necklace.
It was the only item she had taken from the Miller residence when she left, but she didn’t mind giving it to Skyler.
That was the last straw for Crystal as she turned her face away and broke into tears.
Before long, Melora was sobbing too.
Upon seeing the adults in tears, a frightened Berthold began wailing. Skyler quickly stroked his brown hair. “There, there. Christopher said that tough boys don’t cry!”
Berthold stared blankly at the girl as she leaned in to kiss him.
He’s so cute! He’s fair and has brown hair like me!
Since Crystal couldn’t change Melora’s mind, she put the latter’s mind at ease by promising she wouldn’t say a word to Henry.
Before leaving, she handed Melora whatever cash she had, which amounted to more than ten thousand, and said she’d drop by again the next day.
Melora accepted the money, much to both their surprise.
After all, never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that a pampered princess like Melora would one day be happy to receive a mere sum of ten thousand.
Crystal could no longer stand the sadness gnawing at her.
Upon leaving the old building, she stood under a tree and wept bitterly.
Skyler quickly leaned against her mother and hugged her leg.
Even after picking the little girl up, Crystal couldn’t stop crying.
Skyler caressed Crystal’s head. “Daddy would be so sad if he knew about this.”
Slowly but surely, Crystal recomposed herself.
No matter what Melora says, I can’t let her and Berthold live in such an environment. That said, I can’t tell her father either… He’d be so heartbroken if he learned about their situation! I suppose I’ll have to leave it to Henry to settle this…
“When your daddy gets home tonight, I want you to tell him that you met Aunt Melora and that I cried, okay?” Crystal instructed as she patted Skyler.
The latter cocked her head and pondered over her mother’s words.
“Mommy, why can’t you tell Daddy yourself?”
Crystal instantly fell silent.
I don’t even know where Henry and I are in our relationship. How can I possibly cry in front of him?
When she didn’t get an answer, Skyler merely shook her head. Adults sure are complicated!
It was eight o’clock in the evening when Henry finally returned home from working. overtime.
Crystal was giving Skyler a piano lesson, her taupe-colored long dress accentuating her slender waist and calves in the dimly lit room.
Skyler’s piano-playing skills had undeniably improved.
Henry sat beside Crystal and was about to tease her when he suddenly froze.
Upon realizing the man’s presence, Crystal asked gently, “Have you had dinner?”
Henry couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not used to you being so gentle all of a sudden… I’d love to have a plate of spaghetti!”
Crystal strode to the kitchen.
After tossing his coat aside, Henry lifted Skyler into his arms. “What happened to your mommy?”
Thankfully, Skyler remembered the mission she was tasked with.
“Mommy cried today!” she replied as she sat on her father’s lap and pouted.
Henry furrowed his brows.
“Mommy met Aunt Melora and an adorable little boy,” Skyler continued without missing a
beat.
Melora? Little boy?
Even though Henry was seething with rage, he kept his composure and patted Skyler’s head. “From now on, you have to tell me if your mommy cries again.”
Just then, Crystal walked back into the room with a plate of spaghetti and was even considerate enough to set down a fork for Henry.
He knew better than to ask Crystal questions in front of Skyler, so he quietly finished his dinner.
Later, when Skyler had fallen asleep, he walked into the little girl’s room and clutched
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