In the evening, Crystal received a call from Robertâs sister, Riya. Sobbing, she said, âCrystal, Robert doesnât have much time left.
Can you come to see him one last time?â
Crystal was stunned by the words. The last time she saw him was at the school anniversary.
Riya continued, âHe was in a car accident, and his life is now hanging by a thread. All he does is call out your name while holding onto the locket he gave you.â
The news caused Crystalâs phone to slip out of her hand.
When she rushed to the hospital, all dressed in black, it was already too late.
A white cloth was already draped over Robertâs face.
Members of the Sloan family were crying in sorrow. Setting his questionable character aside, Robert was the pillar of his family, yet he was now gone.
At the sight of Crystal, Riya wailed, âRobert, Crystal is here!â
Crystal slowly walked over.
Amidst the glaring fluorescent lighting, she flipped over the white cloth. Underneath it, Robertâs face had already been cleaned.
Aside from looking pale, he seemed to be a sea of calm.
Crystal gently caressed his face as she whispered, âRobert, the resentment between us has long since. faded. I havenât blamed you in a long time. Why did it have to come to this?â
The accident had occurred near her house.
When the ambulance arrived, he was holding onto the locket.
Right then, Crystalâs complicated emotions overwhelmed her.
She had loved Robert before but also hated his guts too. However, all those emotions disappeared with Robertâs death, for he no longer existed in the world.
Tears began to fall from her eyes as she covered his face again and whispered, âGoodbye, Robert.â
Crystal didnât linger and left as quickly as she came.
However, Riya caught up with her in the corridor.
âCrystal!â
Crystal turned around upon hearing her name.
Slowly walking up to Crystal, Riya spoke in a voice hoarse from crying. âBefore Robert died, he asked me to give you these two things. He wanted you to go over and take a look.â
Riya handed Crystal a locket and a key.
Covering her mouth, she explained, âHe got you this locket as a lucky charm but didnât get one for himself.â
After Crystal silently took them, the sniffling Riya continued, âCrystal, my mom is too embarrassed to say it, but she wants me to apologize to you. If only she had tried to talk to Robert back then, both of you might have found happiness. He... He truly loved you! Crystal, my greatest fear is that you donât believe that... In truth, he hasnât been happy for the past few years.â
Neither was I. No one can easily forget their first love. And now, Robert has met such a grim end.
When Crystal returned to her car, Joel noticed the look on her face and asked, âMrs. Miller, are we heading home or...â
Crystal lowered her head to look at the key in her hand before replying, âThereâs somewhere I want to go.â
Without probing further, Joel drove toward an old residential area in the eastern parts of the city. Upon their arrival, he stayed in the car, giving Crystal the privacy she needed.
Many years ago, this place was the Sloan familyâs temporary residence when they were poor. The entire family was large but had to squeeze into the eighty-square-meter place.
Back then, Crystal would drop by often to cook for Robert, and he would always be busy.
By the time he came home, she would usually be sprawled on the dining table, sleeping.
That was the place where she spent her budding years as a youth.
After opening the door, she could see that the interior hadnât changed much from how she remembered it, other than for a few additional items. In fact, one could tell that that place was regularly cleaned, and there was even a bowl of fresh fruit on the table.
On the wall hung a huge picture, one they had taken back during their school days.
In it was the twenty-year-old Crystal confessing her feelings to Robert.
Even in the bedroom, a picture of them hung above the bed.
After observing it quietly for a while, Crystal walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, which was filled with fruits and vegetables. She proceeded to retrieve some of them and cooked a few simple dishes that were Robertâs favorite.
Once she was done, she placed them on the dining table.
If humans have souls, Iâm sure heâll come home to have his meal.
Thereafter, she left behind the key on her way out, for she would never return to that place again.
As she headed downstairs, the night breeze blowing across her face brought with it an inexplicable chill.
Crystal wasnât sure if she would be happy spending her life with Robert if he hadnât betrayed her, but there was one thing she was certain of-there was no turning back time. She had once loved him, and now that he was gone, the only thing she could do was cook one final meal for him.
Upon arriving downstairs, Crystal was greeted by a chaotic scene.
Clementine was present, along with members of the Sloan family. Riya, in particular, was holding Clementine back and wailing, âRobert is dead, Clementine. Why are you still kicking up a fuss?â
Clearly devastated, the heaving Clementine glared at Crystal.
âHe died because of you, Crystal! He came to see me to speak up for you before leaving to see you. Even till death, youâre the only person on his mind... He even kept his place well-maintained and would come every week to clean it! Yet, have you ever spared any thought for him?â
Clementine seemed to have been driven mad by despair and jealousy, causing the people around her to restrain her.
Nonetheless, Crystal maintained her calm. âIâm already married!â
Thereâs no way a married person would pine for their er.
Robertâs death might have saddened her, but she could in no way reciprocate the feelings he harbored for her. Their moment together had passed, and it didnât help that Robert had done many things against the interest of the Winters family.
Joel subsequently opened the car door for her.
Upon taking her seat, Crystal, nose reddened slightly, instructed. âLetâs go.â
With that, the black sedan gradually rolled away.
Meanwhile, Clementine continued to cause a scene. She couldnât understand how Robert could still long for Crystal when she was the one he had last been intimate with. On top of that, the Sloan family had also handed Crystal the thing he treasured the most.
Amidst the pouring rain in the autumn night, Clementine dropped to her knees and burst out in a sorrowful wail.