Chapter 177 How Have You Been.
Fortunately, Jamie was prepared for that question.
âItâs in Irushea. An antique collector bought it at the auction.â
Irushea, huh...
âBook me on the earliest flight to Irushea. Also, I want every possible information you can gather on that antique collector. That includes inforination on his family, his friends, and his businesses,â Henry said calmly.
âSure thing, Mr. Miller. Iâll email everything to you before you board the flight,â Jamie replied with a nod.
Later that afternoon, Henry flew to Irushea and spent a week there before returning to Barnwood.
It was spring by the time he returned in March, and the flowers had started to bloom.
He had yet to recover from jet lag when he landed at two in the afternoon, but he wanted to see Crystal very badly. Jamie texted him: Crystal is doing some volunteer work at Peaceful Retirement Home today.
Henry drove straight over as fast as he could.
As the retirement home was located in a somewhat rural area, it was already half past three by the time he got there.
Henry had just made his way into the building after parking his car when he heard a song played by the piano.
He took a few steps closer and saw Crystal playing an old piano with a focused look on her face.
She was wearing a white dress and looked just as beautiful as the time she played Morning Dew for him.
Henry clenched his fists slightly, only to realize something was off about the music.
The music doesnât sound as lively as before, but it isnât due to the piano being of poor quality. I feel like the problem lies with Crystal instead...
With that in mind, Henry waited until Crystal had finished her song before calling out to her, âCrystal!â
Crystal tensed up when she heard his voice.
However, her expression was calm when she turned around and greeted him, âMr. Miller?â Her tone was so polite that it felt as though she were talking to a complete stranger.
Henry glanced around and saw all the white-haired senior citizens staring at him.
âCould we speak in private, please?â he asked calmly.
Eventually, Crystal agreed to chat with him in the pantry.
The building was made of wood and had lots of potted plants lined up in front of a huge window wall.
Henry was seated in an elegant position while Crystal poured him some tea.
âThey donât have wine or coffee here, so youâll have to make do with this tea instead. Itâs the best they have to offer,â she said blandly.
Henry didnât come here for a drink, so he didnât mind it at all.
Crystal then sat down across the table in front of him.
The vapor from the hot tea rose into the air between them.
âHow have you been?â Henry asked.
Crystal took a small sip of her tea and replied after a long pause, âNot too bad. Quite good, actually.â
Henry reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a document, which Crystal recognized as the invitation from a music academy in Ferropene.
Henry gently tapped on the invitation with his slender fingers as he asked, âWill you still be going to Ferropene? I was listening to you play the piano earlier. Is your leg still hurting?â
Crystal reached out and gently touched her leg.
Iâm afraid I may never recover from this injury. The only thing I got out of this relationship is this injury on my leg. Since I can no longer become a great pianist, thereâs no point in going to Ferropene anymore. Oh, and I wonât be able to drive either. Maybe this is the price I have to pay....
Although Henry was completely unscathed, Crystal did not hate him in the slightest.
âThanks for your concern, but I donât think I will be going anymore,â she said with a faint smile.
The more casual and nonchalant she sounded while saying that, the more Henryâs heart ached.
Crystal had once mentioned that she wouldnât want something unless it was complete, so why is she declining my offer when Iâm trying to give her everything she wanted?
Henry knew that he was not in a position to protest, so he simply sat there and drank his tea in silence. After he finished drinking it, he glanced at the sunset and said, âIâll send you home.â
Fearing that she would turn him down, he added. âYour car is still at the workshop, and itâs not looking too good. Iâll buy you a new car.â
Crystal tightened her grip on the ceramic cup and tried her best to keep her emotions under control.
After taking a moment to regain her composure, she flashed Henry a faint smile and said, âRespectfully, weâve broken up, Mr.
Miller. Iâve received the compensation and took my things with me. Iâm sure your secretary, Jamie, has already confirmed that we no longer owe each other anything. I donât want that BMW anymore, nor do I want this new car youâre offering.â
Crystal then got up and opened the door before adding, âI have a class to teach in a bit. Please leave, Mr. Miller. There is no need for us to see each other anymore.â
What? Is she trying to get rid of me?
Henry stared deeply into Crystalâs eyes, but he found no sign of wavering whatsoever.
Is this really the same woman who used to lean in my arms and ask me for lots of kisses? I remember how she would blush upon seeing me and get all passionate whenever I touched her. How could she become so distant all of a sudden? Wait a minute... Now that I think about it, I was the one who got spoiled in our relationship. Crystal has moved on, but Iâm still stuck here. This kind of reminds me of Robert. Did he also feel this way when he regretted leaving her?
Henry bumped into Robert two days later as the two happened to have social events in the same private room in Orchid Club.
Robert blew a smoke ring while staring at Henry. Having been bullied all this while, this was the first time he had seen Henry so depressed. Robert just couldnât help but feel the urge to mess with the latter.
âAre you in a bad mood, Henry?â he asked while pouring Henry a glass of brandy.
Henry downed the brandy in one go and replied, âIâm feeling just fine!â
Robert let out a chuckle as he sat down next to Henry and pulled up a picture from his phoneâs picture gallery.
It was a picture of Crystal when she was twenty-two.
She was sleeping on the dining table and looked a lot younger in the picture.
Henry narrowed his eyes when he noticed that it wasnât her house.
âShe used to cook for me and waited for me late at night. It was common for us to hang around each other at that time. I bet she will forget about you soon and fall for Seth instead. Who knows, she might also help him with his necktie and eventually marry him! I mean, you do know how close those two are, right?â
Henry got so mad that he punched Robert on the spot.
As everyone in the private room was individuals with high status, they clicked their tongues in disapproval when they saw Henry striking Robert. Who wouldâve thought that Henry, who is usually cold and elegant, would be so violent?
As Robert was always sleeping around, he was nowhere near Henryâs level of fitness and ended up badly injured.
Charles was there as well when the fight broke out. He was enjoying it so much that he didnât even try to break them up. Instead, he pretended to hold Robert back while exclaiming, âWhy did you have to rub salt on his wound, Robert?â
Robert, who probably had a little too much to drink, said with a sneer, âThis is retribution, Henry! I was a scumbag for betraying Crystal, but I liked her sincerely and would do anything to be with her! You, on the other hand, hurt her badly over that piece of cr*p!â
Hearing that, Charles advised him, âStop it. Youâre drunk!â
Robert ignored him and wiped the blood off his mouth as he continued, âHave you ever thought about Crystalâs feelings whenever you went to meet Audrey? Honestly, I donât even know how she agreed to go to Ferropene with David! Now that she has finally done the right thing and got over you, I canât wait to see you suffer!â
This time, none of those people around them were able to stop Robert from charging at Henry.
Seeing as Henry wanted to fight him as well, they decided to let the two duke it out instead.