Silly Bride

Chapter 257
“Christopher!” When Winnie saw Christopher suddenly collapse to the ground, she took two steps forward reflexively.She
completely forgot about the fact that she was still shackled, so her arm almost came off because she walked toward him
hastily.Her right arm was broken by Yulissa’s stick earlier, so doing that only poured fuel to the fire. Her face instantly paled from
the pain.Additionally, due to inertia, her entire body was pulled backward by the chains.Even though Christopher was only two
steps away from her, she couldn’t touch him at all.“Wake up! You need to wake up and give me the key! I can send you to the
hospital!” Winnie shouted his name, trying to wake him up, but it was no use. His body remained unmoving as he lay on the
ground.It was the first time she felt so helpless. Even though the key was only two steps away from her, she couldn’t grab
it. Christopher will definitely die here if I don’t get out of my shackles soon!“Wake up! I beg you, Christopher! You can’t die here!
You still need to go home! Do you hear me, Christopher? Wake up!” she yelled as loudly as she could.It was said that a person
would be able to hear the calls of their friends and families when they were on the verge of death. Aside from calling his name,
Winnie had no idea what to do.Meanwhile, Christopher felt as though he was in a cold, dark world. He was freezing and lost, but
there was a dot of red light in the distance. It seemed so close yet so far away from him.With great effort, he tried approaching
the light. He felt as though people were waiting for him there. Their figures resembled that of the fallen comrades he used to fight
alongside with.Those comrades of his were the nameless heroes who were sacrificed during the mission.Christopher really
wanted to reunite with them and hug them.However, just as he was about to reach them, he suddenly heard someone calling out
to him from behind.That voice was pleasant to the ears, and it was calling out to him. It sounded familiar to him, but he couldn’t
remember who the voice belonged to.He wanted to advance forward, to reach a place of warmth and comfort with his
comrades.Yet, the feminine voice behind him was gradually mixed in with the sound of crying.The one thing Christopher couldn’t
bear listening to the most in his life was women crying, especially when it was accompanied by that particular voice. It almost
broke his heart when he heard it.Subconsciously, he didn’t want to let the owner of the voice feel upset. He glanced at his former
comrades and abruptly realized he still had unfinished business to take care of.Thus, he turned around with conviction and
sprinted toward the origin of the voice.“Wake up, Christopher! I beg you! Please talk to me!” Winnie still hadn’t given up yet. She
believed Christopher wouldn’t go down that easily.Her belief came true in the next moment.He actually opened his eyes in front
of her.“K-Key...” Lifting his eyelids with a smile, he opened his palm while still lying on the ground. “I got it.”She raised her head
to hold back the tears in her eyes and grinned. “Yes! Way to go, Christopher! I knew you would make it! Quickly, hand me the
key. I need to drive you to the hospital right now!”Sluggishly, Christopher nodded before dragging his body forward with great
effort.He no longer had any energy left to stand up, so all he could do was lift his arm. Winnie used her still-functional left hand to
grab the key and quickly unlock the shackle on her right hand.Ignoring her arm’s pain, she immediately leaned downward to help
Christopher up.Unfortunately, her right arm was broken, and her left couldn’t muster much power. Thus, she couldn’t lift him
up.After a few tries, she was drenched in sweat.“D*mmit! Godd*mmit!” Winnie couldn’t help but curse. “Why can’t I muster more

strength?”As for Christopher, he tried standing up himself, but he couldn’t do it.Joy and sorrow filled his heart simultaneously as
he stared at the sweating Winnie.It broke his heart even further to see her blaming herself for not having enough strength when
her right arm was incapacitated.Out of nowhere, Christopher burst into tears like a child.When Winnie saw him crying, she swiftly
hugged him and uttered in a serious tone, “There’s no need for you to be afraid. Don’t worry; I’ll save you! Ah, I just remembered
that Professor White’s assistant is still outside! I can ask him for help. He has the strength to carry you out. He can also drive us
to the hospital! I may not be able to move my arm, but I still have my legs! Wait for me here! I’ll go out and ask for his help right
away!”As she spoke, she stood, preparing to head outside.However, what Christopher said next felt like a baseball bat to her
head. “Don’t go. It’s no use. He’s already gone. When I woke up, he wasn’t there anymore. He had already escaped by
himself.”Winnie gaped in bewilderment. “Why? Why did he run away?”He smiled. “He doesn’t know us. It’s only natural that he
had already fled. I think this is how I meet my end. Do you know—”When he stretched his arm toward her, she immediately
squatted down next to him. “Shush, don’t talk anymore. Save your strength.”Winnie grabbed Christopher’s hand tightly. “We’ll try
again. This time, we’ll do our best. There’s no doubt we can escape a mere basement.”Shaking his head gently, he uttered,
“Don’t waste your effort. I much prefer you talk to me when we still have time. Rather than letting me die on the way to the
hospital, why not just let me rest here for my final moments? I feel so tired.”A horrible feeling swelled in her heart as she gazed
at him. “Don’t say that. You need to possess the will to live on.”“I do.” He tightened his grip on her hand. “That will is you. You
know, I think I died earlier because I saw my dead comrades waving at me. I was about to meet up with them, but I suddenly
heard you calling my name behind me. Your voice sounded so sorrowful. I didn’t want you to be sad, which then made me feel
as though I still had unfinished matters to attend to. So I sprinted all the way to where your voice was coming from and saw you.
When I came to, I realized the key was still in my hand and that I still haven’t set you free yet. I knew then that was what I came
back to do. Once you’re free, it’ll be time for me to return.”“No, that’s not how it goes.” Winnie fixed her eyes on Christopher. “You
don’t just die after you complete a specific task. There are still so many things waiting for you to do in real life.”His head shook
lethargically. “There’s nothing left for me to do. My body’s condition won’t allow it. I don’t have any time or opportunity left. Can I
say something to you, Winnie?”Staring at her, he saw the glimmers of light reflected in her teary eyes. Her look was tender and
mournful. Winnie choked up somberly. “Can’t you wait until you get better before you say it to me? What if I say I don’t want to
listen to it now?”“Then you’ll never have a chance to hear it in this life. Even if there is a next life, we may not have the chance to
meet again. Are you that cruel to deny me a chance to speak?” As though Christopher was a wounded puppy, he peered at her
with a pitiful and pleading look.In the end, she relented.Of course, she knew there was a chance he might not make it, even if
she sent him to the hospital right away.Winnie squeezed out a grin. “Go ahead. I’ll listen.”“Okay.” Christopher’s smile turned
joyous. The look in his eyes softened as he stared at their clasped hands. “I’ve always liked you in secret. When you rejected me
after I proposed to you the first time, I thought I could wait until you and Xavier broke up before trying again. However, I know
you’re the type of woman who won’t change her mind that easily once you fall for someone. Then I thought, maybe it’ll be my
turn if, by chance, you no longer feel the same way about Xavier. As I waited, I realized the love between you and Xavier was

tough enough to brave any hardships. Originally, my love life was never the only thing I cared about. I could go on a mission and
not think about you. Nonetheless, I didn’t expect the heavens would arrange for us to meet here. It’s as if you fell from the sky,
like a ray of light that cuts through the darkness. You never fail to stun me every time you show up. We’ve experienced so much
together for the past few days, and I could not stop being deeply attracted to you. Originally, I didn’t plan to tell you any of these
because I was afraid you would blame yourself and feel sad every time you thought about me after I died. That’s not the
outcome I want, but I’m one foot in the grave right now. I’ve yet to hold a maiden’s hand, have a romantic relationship, and really
fall in love with someone. Yet, all I want is for you to know how much I like you.”As he spoke, Winnie listened wordlessly.She
didn’t know what to say because she already had Xavier.Staring at Christopher, she wondered what words she should use.He
couldn’t help but feel disappointed when he saw her like that. Nevertheless, he understood that no one could force her to like or
dislike someone.She could cry an endless river for him, abandon her dignity for him, and even lose an arm for him, but those had
nothing to do with romantic feelings.Closing his eyes, Christopher painfully calmed his surging emotions down.In the end, he
chose not to trouble her and betrayed his heart. “No need to feel pressured. While I am about to die, I’m not going to guilt-trip
you. You don’t need to respond to my feelings. Although, I do have a small request.”“Tell me.”“Can I rest in your arms? I’m
feeling a bit cold, as though I’m in an icy cellar.”“Of course.” Without delay, Winnie wrapped her arms around him. “Are you
feeling better? I could’ve hugged you even tighter if my right arm wasn’t broken.”“Mm-hmm,” Christopher replied softly. “Your
body feels really warm. I... I can’t take it anymore. I’m too tired, and I want to sleep so badly.”Her tears fell onto his forehead as
she uttered the words she didn’t know how she came up with. “Sleep, then. I’ll keep on hugging you. I’ll bring you home.”“Okay.”
His voice became even weaker. Slowly, he closed his eyes as a tear streamed down his cheek. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to break
my promise. I really want you to respond to my feelings. Just consider this as my attempt to use death to threaten you. Tell me, if
I had known you before you met Xavier, would you have fallen in love with me? I’m not asking you if you would betray him. I’m
just asking if you would love me if he weren’t around. Would you have tried?”Winnie’s face was covered in tears by that point
because she could feel his life slipping away bit by bit. Staring at him, she saw a look of despair and anticipation in his eyes.She
nodded. “I would! I would’ve tried to love you if Xavier weren’t around.”“Really?” The light in Christopher’s eyes glowed a little. “In
that case, how about we promise to do that in our next life?”Winnie nodded fervently. “Sure. As you wish.”“All right, as I wish
then. Even if I know you’re lying to me, how do you think we shall meet in our next lives?” He felt like it was too late already in his
current life. Perhaps he only had a few seconds left before he kicked the bucket.That was why he wanted to hold on to what little
time he had left in his current life. Grabbing her hand tightly, he asked, “Is it okay if you’re still known as Winnie in our next lives?
I’ll still go by the name of Christopher. I’ll come and find you... No, I don’t think you should keep the name. What if Xavier comes
to find you, too?”“In that case, tell me what kind of name you like.”“I...” Slowly, Christopher lifted his hand and touched Winnie’s
face. As the light in his eyes dimmed, he stared at Winnie with an expression of satisfaction. “Well... But I still like Winnie the
most.”“Then I won’t change it. I’ll still be Winnie, and you’ll still be—” Before she could finish her sentence, his hand slipped down
from her face.She wanted to sob as loudly as she could, but no sound left her throat.If she had the strength to lift Christopher up,

she would, but she didn’t.Her sight was blurred by her tears. Out of nowhere, a group of people barged into her blurry world.It
stunned Winnie for a while before she returned to her senses.She immediately wiped her tears away and realized the person
who barged in was Leandro Zeller.He was one of the most famous drug lords in the area alongside Harold.While he didn’t know
who Winnie was, she knew him.She had no idea why Leandro had suddenly arrived, but she knew she had something he
wanted, a bargaining chip she could use to negotiate.“Leandro! I’m Big Black Bear! I bet you’ve heard of my codename before,
and I bet you know about Harold’s factory being blown to pieces last night! The culprit behind that explosion was me! I have a
new formula. Do you want it? If you send my people to the hospital right now, I’ll give you the new formula. Don’t ask me any
questions! To put it simply, whoever wants the formula will send my people to the hospital! If he lives, you can have whatever you
want! Do you understand? I only have this one request, so get on with it!” Winnie had never been that agitated before.She felt
like her head was spinning and as though she could only hear her own voice.Her brain couldn’t process anything the people
around her were saying.The only thing she knew was that Christopher was lifted by two burly men. She was also raised into the
air and out of the basement.Because she was still in a daze, she didn’t realize Yulissa was already gone.