Chapter 47
Chapter 47:
Not yet ready to face the villa, Kristine asked her driver to take her on a slow circuit through the city, and she did not return until the clock struck ten.
She assumed Colton would not be home — but when she walked in, she found him waiting in the living room, as though he had been expecting her.
For a brief moment, the scene reversed the years. Memories surfaced of all those evenings she had waited for Colton to come home, only to be left alone until morning. She would always end up catching a cold, never remembering to pull a blanket over herself before she fell asleep.
“Welcome back,” Colton said, eyes lowered as his fingers moved across the tablet.
In a crisp white shirt and tailored trousers, he managed to look both relaxed and impeccably put together. Even so, Kristine could not miss the subtle edge in his tone. Seven years by his side had made her all too familiar with his moods. In earlier days, she would have gone out of her way to lift his spirits whenever something was wrong. Those feelings had faded — his sour mood held no power over her anymore.
Without a word, Kristine headed for the stairs, ignoring his presence entirely.
From where he sat, Colton caught her determined retreat, and his face darkened. “Kristine p>
She kept climbing without a glance back.
𝗙o𝗅𝗹o𝘸 𝘂ѕ o𝗻
Frustrated, he shot to his feet and went after her, catching her wrist before she could reach the top. “I’m speaking to you. Why are you ignoring me p>
Kristine stared coolly at the hand gripping her arm. “If you’re determined to keep me here, then you’ll have to leave me alone. Otherwise, I have no problem stepping off the second floor p>
Colton’s gaze shifted to the faint scar on her forehead. His grip tightened instinctively. “You know I’ve never believed empty threats,” he said, his voice steely.
With a slow turn, Kristine met his eyes and offered a dazzling smile — laced with sadness and a quiet defiance. She knew exactly what she was doing.
“That’s precisely why I want this to end p>
Colton frowned deeply, recognizing the unwavering resolve in her expression. “Tell me what it will take for you to speak with me honestly. If marriage is what you want, I’ll make it official right now p>
Kristine wrenched her arm free. “Do you really think a marriage certificate is what matters to me? If that’s all you understand, then we have nothing left to say p>
Deep down, Colton knew her pain ran far deeper than any paperwork. But that was the extent of what he could offer. In four years, he had never once consoled her, and he was at a loss now.
Tugging at his collar, he tried again, his patience thinning. “Kristine, I’ll admit it — I neglected you before. But from this point on p>
“There is no next time,” she said, calm and final.
Colton’s throat tightened. He looked down at her as the memory of the restaurant replayed in his mind — the jealousy he had buried all evening, surging now through the last of his restraint.