Chapter 128
Chapter 128:
Nothing about escorting Elyse had gone according to plan. During the drive from the hospital to the airport, the journey had taken a disastrous turn — three separate car accidents occurring one after another. Handling the fallout consumed nearly half the day. Later, trouble continued when Elyse lost her way at the airport, and only after an extensive search did Bobby and his team finally find her standing outside the terminal. By that point, the commercial flight had already departed. Left with no alternative, Colton arranged for his private jet to send Elyse back to Eyling, and only after personally seeing her board did he finally turn around and head home.
Once the ordeal was over, he let out a long breath, stepped out of the car, and walked into the house.
Instead of the usual activity, an unsettling quiet filled the space.
Spotting Claire, Colton asked, “Where is Kristine p>
“She went out p>
Orgаոі𝗓𝖾 уo𝗎𝘳 𝘭𝘪b𝗿а𝗿𝗒 𝗈𝗻
“Why has she not returned yet p>
Claire could only remain silent.
A deep frown formed on Colton’s face. “Call the driver and tell him to bring her back p>
After a brief pause, Claire spoke cautiously. “Ms. Green did not use any of the family vehicles. She took a taxi instead p>
Colton’s face hardened at once. “You may leave p>
Without another word, Claire stepped back and quietly left the room. Reaching for his phone, Colton dialed Bobby immediately. “Find out where Kristine is. I want to know right away p>
Having just finished settling Elyse’s departure, Bobby went silent for a moment.
Inside Asher’s villa, Kristine and Collen had connected effortlessly, speaking with the ease of longtime acquaintances who felt they had met far too late. Off to the side, Asher observed as Kristine spoke with enthusiasm for more than three hours. A subtle smile formed on his lips before he said gently, “Grandpa, it is time for your medication p>
Checking the time, Collen drew a sharp breath. “It is already past six? I lost track of time completely. Kristine, I hope you do not mind p>
Warmth filled her smile as she shook her head. “Mr. Edwards, I am truly glad we were able to talk for so long p>
Those words were sincere. She felt genuinely content. For the first time in years, someone had been eager to explore antiques with her in real depth. Colton had never shown any real curiosity about her interests — whenever she tried to bring it up, impatience surfaced on his face almost immediately. Every single preference Elyse had, by contrast, was firmly etched into his memory.
Thinking of those two irreplaceable ceramic figurines, now gone, caused a tight ache to form in her chest.
“I am going to take my medication now,” Collen said, breaking the moment. “We can continue this another day.” With an easy wave, he ended the call in good spirits.
Slipping his phone away, Asher said politely, “I hope we did not inconvenience you p>
“Not at all. Your grandfather knows so much about antiques, and I learned a great deal from him. There is nothing bothersome about that p>
“That is good.” Asher’s gaze settled on her, and the warmth in his eyes became more pronounced.
Under that steady look, Kristine felt uneasy. “It is getting late. I should be going p>
“All right. I will ask Tripp to drive you p>
Following Tripp toward the exit, she had only taken a few steps when Asher called out behind her. Turning back, she asked, “What is it p>
“Thank you for repairing the vase for my grandparents. If you ever need assistance, do not hesitate to let me know p>