Chapter 5
Chapter 5:
After a long stretch without any reply from Kristine, a shadow passed through Colton’s usually composed eyes.
He sent another message and immediately realized he had been blocked.
A crease formed between his brows. She was clearly angry. Even so, this was not the first time Kristine had cut off contact with him.
“Colton,” Brent said, approaching quietly from behind. “Elyse has woken up and is asking for you p>
Pressing his fingers to his temples, Colton replied, “Alright p>
He told himself that Kristine would eventually remove the block. He chose not to dwell on it. That said, he knew he had been neglecting her lately. Once everything settled, he would make it up to her properly.
𝗔𝗱𝘥𝘪𝖼𝘁ive 𝗇o𝘃𝗲l𝘴 𝘰ո 𝗀𝘢lո𝗼𝘷е𝗅ѕ.сo𝗺
Once she had settled into her seat on the plane, Kristine pulled down her sleep mask and slept through the entire journey without waking. When she finally landed in Peudon, the clock had already passed one in the morning.
Standing by the exit were her mother, Monica, whom she had not seen in years, along with Monica’s second husband, Steven Palmer, and their daughter, Jemma Palmer.
“So cold. Why would you choose such a late flight?” Jemma muttered, stomping her feet impatiently.
Kristine felt no real closeness toward this half-sister. She stayed silent and got into the car.
Inside the vehicle, Monica reached out and held Kristine’s hand warmly, though the gesture felt less like a mother welcoming her child and more like a hostess receiving a guest. “Kristy, I am really glad you finally came to your senses. Colton might seem decent, but how could he ever compare to Asher? Asher will take over Edwards Group. Once you marry him, your life will be secure p>
Leaning her head against the window, Kristine kept her eyes closed and spoke in an even, emotionless tone. “During the seven years I did not come home, I still heard that three years ago, Asher broke his leg and became disabled p>
A brief silence settled inside the car.
After a pause, Monica replied awkwardly, “Well p>
“I only agreed to return for this arranged marriage because I owe Jemma,” Kristine interjected. “After I marry Asher in her place, that debt will be settled p>
An even heavier silence filled the car. Quiet glances passed between Monica and the others, but no one spoke.
After they reached the house, Kristine pulled her suitcase upstairs to the second floor. Monica tried to stop her, but was already too late. All she could do was stand there and watch Kristine open the bedroom door and stop short.
“Kristy,” Monica said hesitantly, “since you are rarely home, we gave your room to Jemma p>
Pink filled Kristine’s vision as she looked inside, and anger surged instantly. “Is there a shortage of bedrooms in this house? Why did it have to be mine p>
Monica found herself at a loss for words. What they had done was clearly wrong, yet it was already done.
“Who would have thought you’d turn out this worthless?” Jemma called from downstairs, her expression dripping with disdain. “We really believed that after all these years, you would have secured Colton. You chased him for seven years, yet you still lost to a woman who only just returned from overseas. Kristine, you are truly pitiful p>
A dark shadow passed through Kristine’s eyes. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, snatched a notebook from the desk, and flung it toward Jemma on the floor below.
Startled out of her wits, Jemma rushed into Steven’s arms. “Dad, look at her. She has completely lost her mind p>
“That is enough,” Monica said, casting Steven a sharp look and motioning for him to take Jemma away.
Once the house finally fell quiet, she turned back to Kristine, guilt heavy in her voice. “Kristine, I have already arranged the guest room for you. You can stay there for tonight p>
Before Monica could say another word, Kristine pulled her suitcase along and walked straight out of the villa. She had reserved a room at a luxury hotel. The service there was flawless, and a car had been arranged to collect her.
More than an hour later, Kristine arrived at the hotel. After collecting her key card, she headed directly toward the elevator.
At that moment, Bobby, who had just stepped into the lobby, froze when he noticed a familiar figure disappearing into the closing elevator doors. From behind him, a colleague asked with curiosity, “What is it p>
Shaken from his thoughts, Bobby replied, “Nothing p>
For a moment, he wondered if he had truly seen Kristine. But that made no sense. Since his boss was still in Gridron, Kristine should have been there as well. The pressure of the upcoming collaboration with Edwards Group had made him overly tense. The lack of sleep was probably causing him to imagine things. With a shake of his head, he picked up his pace and headed toward the front desk to check in.
The following day, Kristine received a call from an unfamiliar number. The person on the line introduced herself as the secretary of Asher Edwards, her arranged-marriage partner, and informed her that she needed to arrive at Edwards Group before three in the afternoon to meet Asher, or the appointment would need to be postponed.
The way it was handled reminded her of Colton’s approach, yet Kristine felt no repulsion. Perhaps that was because this arrangement was nothing more than a transaction, with no emotions attached.
Right at three in the afternoon, Kristine stepped into Edwards Group.
Inside a richly furnished office, she came face-to-face with Asher. Seated in a wheelchair, he still carried an air of elegance, his features undeniably striking. Where Colton felt like biting winter ice, Asher instead resembled a gentle breeze in midsummer.
“I was told the one arranged to marry me was Jemma Palmer,” Asher said, his voice steady and composed, carrying no hint of pressure — more like small talk between old acquaintances. “Why did your mother send you instead p>
“Because I am interested in you,” Kristine answered. “I offered to take Jemma’s place p>
A gentle smile appeared on his face. “It is not just people in Gridron who know you love Colton Yates. Even in Peudon, everyone knows p>
“That was in the past,” Kristine replied calmly. “I have already changed my mind p>
Asher studied her unwavering gaze without blinking, and curiosity stirred within him. “You truly do not like Colton anymore p>
Kristine was about to respond when a knock at the door interrupted them.
“Mr. Edwards, the partners have arrived ahead of schedule p>
With a slight lift of his brows, Asher gave Kristine a look filled with unspoken meaning. “Stay here for now. I will return soon p>
That promise of being quick stretched into more than an hour. By the time Asher came back, the shift in his demeanor was unmistakable.
“As for the marriage arrangement, I have no objections,” he said. “When would it suit you for us to get married p>
Though confused by the sudden turn, Kristine answered evenly. “The sooner, the better p>
“Very well. After I sign the partnership this Friday, we will register the marriage.” He then summoned his secretary to see Kristine out.
A slight frown crossed her face as she followed the secretary into the hallway. Something about Asher had changed after that meeting — she could feel it, though she could not identify exactly what it was. In the end, she chose not to dwell on it.
Once the door shut behind them, a meaningful smile slowly spread across Asher’s face.
The group he had just finished meeting with turned out to be under Bobby — Colton’s assistant. Which meant Colton had no idea that Kristine had already returned to Peudon. He also had no clue that she was about to marry him.
That realization made the situation far more intriguing.
Downstairs, at that very moment, Bobby caught sight of Kristine walking out of Edwards Group. He rubbed his eyes again and again before finally accepting what he was seeing. It really was her. The fact that she had come back to Peudon left him completely stunned. For seven whole years, she had remained in Gridron without leaving even once.
Without wasting a second, Bobby sent Colton a message. “Mr. Yates, I just saw Miss Green in p>