Crystal’s One Night of Love

Chapter 169 Calling His Name

Back at Crystal's condominium, Snowy wagged its tail and greeted her.

Crystal took off her coat and patted its head. "Good dog!"

Snowy wiggled its tail excitedly at the compliment, showing that it wanted to go out and play. Crystal handed the leash to Henry. "You take it for a walk around, and I'll make you some pasta."

Henry fixed his deep-set gaze on her with a hint of eagerness in his eyes.

Then, he bent down to tie the leash on Snowy and went out for a walk.

The kitchen of the condominium faced the outside. Hence, Crystal could watch Henry while prepping the meal. The clothes he had on complemented his slender, model-like figure perfectly, forming a mesmerizing sight.

Crystal found it difficult to avert her gaze.

When he came back, the condominium was heated to the point that it was becoming too warm.

Henry took off his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Even though he was sitting at a small dining table to have instant pasta, his aristocratic temperament was not at all diminished.

Crystal fetched the newspaper and sat next to him, reading.

However, she found it difficult to focus on the papers. Instead, her attention was drawn to the several new needle puncture wounds on his arm, where the skin was all bruised from the frequent punctures. Crystal felt a lump in her throat at the sight.

She traced her slender fingers on his arm and looked at him. "Have you had your blood drawn multiple times?"

Henry traced her gaze and responded with a light hum.

Audrey had stirred quite the trouble lately, and both the Quinns and the Millers were affected. Henry had suffered the most. Just as Robert had mentioned, the hospital didn't have enough Rh-negative blood. Hence, whenever Audrey was undergoing an operation, Henry would have to head to the hospital to donate his blood.

Crystal said nothing and gently stroked his arm.

She was concerned about him.

Audrey does not love Henry. Even if she did, her love was extremely twisted and selfish.

Crystal couldn't make her thoughts vocal, of course.

Furthermore, she didn't even know how much Henry still cared for Audrey.

After Henry finished the pasta, he habitually took out a cigarette and was about to light it when Crystal gently slipped it out of his hand.

"Smoke less."

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He stared at her with his deep-set gaze.

Crystal lowered her eyes and started to clean up, but he placed his hand on hers.

"Do it tomorrow."

Henry tenderly picked her up and walked straight toward the bedroom. It was clear as day that he wanted

her.

"No!" Crystal wrapped her arms around his neck.

Halting in his steps, Henry lowered his head to look at her. In a husky voice, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Crystal freed one hand and lightly stroked his shirt collar, whispering, "You've had your blood drawn multiple times. You should rest and recuperate." Henry stared at her with his obsidian gaze.

Crystal met his gaze.

Her eyes turned misty as a conflicted look filled her face.

After a long while, Henry casually remarked, "It's going to be all right."

He had always been assertive. Crystal couldn't resist him. Pressed against the foot of the bed, she surrendered herself to him.

Perhaps feeling the strain of his body holding him back, Henry had only managed to do it once.

Lying on top of her, his light panting tickled her ears. Their clothes were left strewn across the floor.

Crystal wanted to get up.

Henry pressed his body down on her and said, "Don't move. Stay with me for a while."

She relented and made no move, pressing her bright little face against his neck, feeling the warmth of his body.

Half an hour later, after Henry was rested enough, he scooped Crystal up from the bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick rinse.

Crystal soon fell asleep out of exhaustion.

In the middle of the night, she woke up to find Henry no longer in bed.

She got up, put on a coat, and walked into the living room. The window was cracked open, and Henry was standing by it, smoking. By his coffee cup, there were seven or eight extinguished cigarette butts. Upon spotting Crystal, he immediately put out the cigarette in his hand.

"Did I wake you?" he asked.

Crystal padded over and hugged him. "Why aren't you sleeping? Are you bothered by something?"

She was a soft-hearted woman, and so she was willing to make concessions for the man she loved.

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Crystal reckoned that if Henry brought up Audrey right then, she was willing to discuss it with him. After all, Audrey was like a barrier between them that they couldn't get over.

However, Henry merely patted her on her head and said, "It's about work."

He led her back to the room, and they went back to bed. Hugging her from behind, Henry couldn't resist kissing her ear.

Thereafter, they got along quite well.

Even though Henry was busy, they would meet each other two to three times a week.

Sometimes, he would stay over at her place, and occasionally when he had to leave early, he would take her to his condominium instead.

The needle marks on his arm were always there.

Crystal never asked where he spent his time when they weren't together, nor did she ask if Audrey had been discharged from the hospital, whether she was still causing trouble, or if she was still holding on to him in hopes of a reconciliation.

When he came over, Crystal would just make him some nourishing food.

Henry would always try to get intimate with her, but Crystal would hold him back.

After all, his body was too weak.

Nonetheless, there were occasional nights when he would receive a call from Joshua and rush to the hospital after putting on his clothes.

On those nights, Crystal would find herself losing sleep as she sat in the living room waiting for him to come back, but he never did.

As the days passed, Audrey escalated the situation well beyond anyone's control, and the fact that the Millers and the Quinns were famous didn't help the matter, either.

John was worried about her daughter and wasn't too keen on Crystal getting together with Henry. After all, his daughter's husband's wealth meant nothing when he always had to spare time for another

woman.

Anna was a woman, and she understood that Crystal was going through a tough time.

Hence, she didn't say much.

As for Crystal, she was feeling like a candle burning on both ends.

After exiting the Winters residence, Crystal got in the car to go to the hospital to pick up medicine for her father. That was when Anna came running from upstairs.

"Madam Anna!" Crystal got out of the car when she noticed Anna.

Anna approached her and said softly, "Your father is a straightforward man and is never one to mince his words. So, don't take his words to heart. As for matters of love, it's up to you to decide. Personally, I think no matter how outstanding Henry is, what's the point if you're not happy..."

Crystal lowered her eyes and nodded.

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Her eyes well up with tears, their corners glistening, while the tip of nose flushed red as she fought

to suppress a sob.

Anna felt her heart ache for Crystal.

She reached out to straighten Crystal's coat. "If you like him, give it your best shot. If he ends up disappointing you, don't be too heartbroken. Life is short. Don't waste too much of it."

Crystal nodded again.

Anna patted her and said softly, "Go now. Drive safely."

Crystal gave her a hug before getting into the car.

Crystal drove to the hospital and picked up the medicine.

She didn't expect to run into Audrey there.

A nurse was wheeling her around the hospital for a walk.

Audrey looked terrible. Her face was pale, and her once toned body had become thin and frail, causing the hospital gown to hang loosely on her frame.

Crystal looked at Audrey, who also turned her head to look back at her.

Despite her frail body, her fiery spirit had not diminished.

There were many other paths that she could have taken to avoid bumping into Audrey. Crystal didn't wish to deal with her at the moment and turned around to leave.

However, Audrey called out to her, "Crystal, can we talk?"

Crystal fixed her gaze on the woman.

Audrey asked the nurse to push her closer before raising her hand to dismiss the nurse.

The nurse tactfully left them alone.

Audrey grew green with envy at the sight of Crystal's calm demeanor.

She had been tormenting herself these days, and yet Henry still did not agree to get back together with her. It's all because of this ordinary, undistinguished woman. But it's all right. With our past ties, Henry won't abandon me.

Audrey was about to speak when her gaze landed on the diamond ring on Crystal's finger.

It was a beautiful diamond ring, and yet it was worn on the middle finger.

A cold smirk hung on Audrey's lips. And here I thought Henry values this woman! Even the promises he made to her are only half-hearted.

With a haughty lift of her chin, Audrey sneered, "I heard you want to marry Henry?"

Crystal followed her gaze and looked at the ring on her middle finger.

Her heart skipped a beat.

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The reason she had been enduring these days was because she genuinely liked Henry and didn't want to give up easily.

There were also Henry's romantic gestures. When times were good, they were really happy together.

Audrey let out a cold chuckle.

She lowered her head, toying with her fingernails as she nonchalantly said, "Miss Winters, do you believe that with just a phone call, or if I slit my wrist, Henry will leave everything to attend to me? No matter what it is that he's doing with you, he,will leave it all behind and rush to the hospital to transfuse blood for me, even if you two were in the throes of passion.

Crystal was appalled by her audacity.

In a cold voice, she demanded, "Audrey, what's your purpose in doing this? You clearly know there's no chance for you two!"

Audrey stiffened.

Her gaze turned frigid as she enunciated her every word. "To get the pleasure of tormenting you both! Especially you, Crystal! Why should you be together with Henry? Not only did you get to be with him, but you're even dreaming of marrying him! Let me tell you, you don't deserve him! You're not worthy!"

Crystal didn't wish to entertain Audrey.

The latter was nothing but a deranged woman.

Crystal knew that the woman only wanted to enrage her right then, edging her to lose her temper and do something irredeemable.

Crystal calmed herself.

In an impassive tone, she replied, "You're the one who's least worthy of all, Audrey. Whether or not I have

a future with Henry, I have a clear conscience. Even if we break up in the end, I won't cling to him like you do."

Crystal felt much better after making her thoughts vocal.

She turned around to leave right away.

Audrey broke into a hysterical wail behind her.

Crystal remained upset for long after she went back.

She wondered if Henry had to face the deranged Audrey every single time he met her.

Then, she brought Snowy to his condominium.

He wasn't back home yet. Crystal made stew and waited for him to come back as she worked on her reports.

Snowy played on its own and would rest by her side when it was tired.

The puppy sometimes watched her with its dark eyes, wagging its tail at her.

Crystal took out a bag of snacks and fed Snowy. Satiated, it took a nap afterward.

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She glanced at the time; it was already ten thirty at night.

Right then, Henry opened the door, and he was surprised at the sight of Crystal.

After removing his coat, Henry approached her and bent over to give her a kiss. It was apparent from his voice that he was tired. "Why did you come on your own accord today?"

Crystal wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I wanted to cook for you."

She took note of his complexion.

As expected, he didn't look well.

Henry seldom talked to Crystal about how he was doing, and she wouldn't ask either, for she was concerned about the Miller family's indebtedness toward Joshua.

However, she had a change of heart after seeing the deranged Audrey.

"Here, have some hot stew first," Crystal said gently.

Henry was reluctant to let her go. He continued to stay close to her and jokingly asked, "So, you're really looking forward to being my wife, huh?"

Crystal blushed crimson at his remark.

"Who said I wanted to be your wife? I'm still young!" she retorted.

Henry kissed her fair neck, and Crystal couldn't help but feel her skin tingle. In a husky voice, he said, "But I'm not young anymore. I'm going to be thirty next year."

Crystal turned his head toward her. Her heart fluttered at the sight of his handsome face.

Henry wished to kiss her again.

He pressed his forehead against hers and mumbled, "Crystal, it's been a long time. Please say yes."

That night, he was especially tender and gentle with Crystal.

As Crystal's emotions surged in the midst of their intense coupling, she instinctively leaned forward and softly uttered Henry's name in his ear, catching him off-guard.