Compliments
1473 Words
“Ms. Thompson?”
The tone was slightly unexpected, yet every word was uttered with certainty, except for the rising intonation at the end, clearly recognizing her.
Estella didn’t speak; the thought of escaping was strangled at birth, leaving her somewhat displeased.
Despite her reluctance, she maintained her composure in her professional demeanor, taking a few steps forward until she stopped a meter away from the man.
The woman curved her lips into an appropriate smile, too much would be intimate, too little would be distant, matching her moderate tone, she slowly pronounced two words:
“Mr. Hunt.”
Alexander Hunt, United States Attorney, narrowed his eyes, leisurely extinguishing the half-smoked cigarette in his hand, and without any attachment, casually threw it into the trash can, as if he had intended to do so all along.
Seeing the woman with exquisite makeup and an impeccable smile, he curled his lips without any warmth, languidly speaking in a tone:
“Ms. Thompson has been quite prominent lately.”
Hearing this, Estella restrained her frown of displeasure, and her smile grew even more: “No matter how splendid, it can’t compare to Mr. Hunt.”
The man looked over, his eyes dark.
Estella continued, “After all, Mr. Hunt has never lost in court.”
Alexander lowered his gaze, quietly staring at the woman in front of him for a few seconds.
His eyes were not a pure blue, but carried a hint of light brown, which should have been more clear under the overhead light, but at the moment they were so deep that no thoughts could be discerned.
Estella silently held his gaze, noticing that even through the glasses, the man’s attractive eyes were not hidden. His eyelashes were long, and as the light fell, they cast a shadow on his cold, flawless skin.
A pair of glasses with gold square frames always rested on his nose bridge, inexplicably highlighting his nobility, adding a sense of a refined scoundrel.
Carefully scanning the man’s sculptural features, Estella couldn’t help but tut softly in her heart.
This face.
What a pity.
Alexander, no matter when seen, no matter how many times, his appearance was beyond reproach.
She still remembered the first time she saw him, standing at the podium in the university auditorium, dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants. Just a brief smile during his calm speech could easily overturn the entire auditorium.
Seeing her staring at him, Alexander frowned slightly, about to speak.
“Isn’t it, Alexander? It took so long to smoke a cigarette, isn’t it just an excuse to avoid drinking…”
An unexpected voice interrupted him.
Estella also suddenly came back from her deep thoughts, and she looked in the direction of the voice, meeting the gaze of the newcomer without warning.
After the case of Eric Smith reached a conclusion, it was almost certain that the second trial would maintain the result of the first. The internet’s attention to such malicious incidents quickly faded, replaced by scandals and endorsements of various celebrities, eventually returning to calm.
Recently, Estella was indeed quite idle, dealing with a few small cases and finding time to visit the orphanage to see the headmistress and the children, living a content life.
That day, she spent another afternoon at the orphanage.
Unlike Lily and Kelly, who were adopted and recognized during their teenage years, Estella stayed in the orphanage until college.
As the place where she grew up, the modest and unadorned orphanage was just like her home, every tree and blade of grass exuding a sense of familiarity.
Nowadays, Lily has gone abroad to study, and Kelly has long since married and moved to Pennsylvania to have her own happy family. Due to distance, the two rarely return to the orphanage, only Estella remains steadfast.
Perhaps, even though they grew up together in the orphanage, the significance of this place is different for each of the three.
As she visited more frequently, the children in the orphanage would run over and tug at her hand and clothes, asking for gifts as soon as they saw her.
“Sis Ella, I wants candy!”
“Sis Ella, play with me!”
“Ella, teach me to draw!”
Listening to the rising and falling noise in her ears, the headmistress smiled helplessly: “It’s because you spoil them too much, and they all have a growing temperament!”
Perhaps because of her age, even though she was scolding, her words were still gentle.
After dealing with the children, Estella just pulled the corner of her mouth: “It’s nothing.”
Sophia glanced at her and walked towards the courtyard, “You’ve been coming quite often lately, not busy with work?”
Estella, with her hands behind her back, followed the older woman with a relaxed smile and brisk steps: “It’s okay.”
Noticing the older woman’s hand on her waist as she walked, Estella frowned and quickly went forward to support her: “Is the back pain acting up again?”
Sophia did not conceal it at all, only enduring the pain and smiling. Her wrinkled face seemed to have deeper folds because of the smile.
“It’s an old problem.” She replied lightly.
Estella: “I’ll make an appointment for you and take you to the hospital another day.”
Sophia brushed away her hand, but her pace slowed down a lot, directly refusing: “I’m already old, what’s the point of going to the hospital to make a fuss, it’s better to save this money to buy them some little toys.”
Looking at the old woman’s back, Estella was silent.
Sophia is already seventy years old, and the headmistress who used to carry her home, she doesn’t know when even the figure of walking has become hunched.
Estella clenched her fist, biting her lip to endure the unwillingness in her heart.
Time, really plays tricks on people.
Estella caught up with her and continued to hold the old woman’s arm: “If you don’t want to go to the hospital, I’ll call Lily back and let her take a look at you.”
Sophia: “Lily is busy studying abroad, don’t disturb her.”
Perhaps not wanting to talk about health issues, Sophia subtly changed the subject: “But you, you’re twenty-seven this year, right? When are you going to bring your boyfriend back to me?”
Estella blinked her eyes, her voice calm: “No.”
After getting the answer, Sophia’s scolding came.
“Although Kelly is older than you, she was already married at your age.”
“Lily also has a boyfriend, why can’t you let me worry less?”
As if thinking of something, Estella corrected: “Grandma, Lily has already broken up.”
Sophia: “Don’t be evasive with me, what idea does she have for that boy, I can’t see? That boy still comes to see me from time to time, I’ve been through a lot, such a good-hearted child, they will still be together in the future.”
Hearing this, Estella was a bit surprised that Bell was so considerate.
But it is also true, Lily and Bell broke up in a hurry, there must be some special reason. Once this taboo disappears, it will be a matter of minutes to get back together.
Thinking about it, it seems that she is the only one in the trio who is alone.
As expected, Sophia sighed, with a kind of helplessness that is not good: “Just you, at this age, there is no sign, how can I rest assured?”
Although that’s what she said.
But -
“Grandma.”
Estella lowered her eyes, her voice low and slow: “I don’t want to.”
Sophia was stunned, and when she touched the girl’s dark eyes, she was speechless.
Looking at the girl in front of her, her mind suddenly flashed a young face, also about the same age as the girl with a smart and bright smile, and said lightly:
“Mama, I have someone I like, he is very, very good to me, I want to marry him.”
In just a few seconds, that voice became more and more distant, and the blurred face overlapped with the person in front of her.
Sophia’s eyes darkened.
After all, they are mother and daughter with blood relations, Estella looks very much like her, but the most expressive eyes are not like her at all, so that gentleness has also disappeared.
“Forget it.”
Her voice was a bit hoarse: “Do as you please.”
After all, compared with the fate that likes to tease people, the words of ordinary people will only appear pale and powerless.
Just like she once begged others outside the court again and again.
- Writer
