Chapter 422
Chapter 422:
Alma waved a hand, cutting her off before she could finish. “Spare me. I’m not here for the complicated details of your love life. I’m here to deliver something p>
Kristine blinked. “Deliver something p>
Alma produced an envelope and held it out. “Asher said to make sure you got this. He said it was important that you go p>
Kristine took it and went still.
It was an invitation to the cultural exchange event in Evira — one of the most prominent gatherings of its kind. She turned it over in her hands, struggling to understand how Asher had arranged this from a distance, while staying hidden, while managing everything else.
Alma let out a quiet sigh. “I’ll never understand how you two handle whatever this is between you.” She paused. “But I want to take back something I said to you before p>
Kristine looked at her.
а𝘤𝘁𝗂𝘷𝖾 𝘤𝘰𝗺𝗺𝗎𝘯і𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝗻
“I told you I still had a chance with him. I was wrong.” Alma gave a small, self-deprecating smile and reached out to pat Kristine’s shoulder. “Don’t feel sorry for me though. I’ll be fine — I always land on my feet p>
She said it lightly, but Kristine caught the flicker of genuine sadness behind the bravado. She wanted to say something kind and couldn’t find quite the right words.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow evening,” Alma said, lifting her chin and rallying herself.
Kristine nodded and walked her toward the door. “Alma — wait p>
Alma turned back.
“Goodwin. The man pursuing you.” Kristine hesitated. “He’s married p>
Alma’s smile widened, untroubled. “I know. He’s Colton’s father, isn’t he? I’m not easily fooled, Kristine. You don’t need to worry about me p>
The relief that moved through Kristine was immediate and genuine. She smiled back — a real one, unguarded, the kind she hadn’t managed in a while.
They stood in the warm light of the room for a quiet moment, just smiling at each other.
For the first time since arriving in this country, Kristine felt something close to peace.
After she saw Alma out, her eyes drifted back to the invitation on the table. She looked at it for a long time. Then she turned toward the window. The moon had climbed high while she wasn’t paying attention, sitting full and bright just beyond the glass, as though it had been watching over her all along.
Elsewhere, after spending hours driving in circles through Eyling on Asher’s trail, the full weight of it finally came down on Colton like a wall.
He had been led in circles. Deliberately. Expertly.
He spotted Asher’s Bentley parked nearby and moved without thinking — striding to it, wrenching the handle, and driving his fist through the window when it didn’t open. Glass scattered across the pavement.
Asher was sitting calmly in the back seat. He brushed a few pieces of glass from his jacket, glanced at Colton’s bleeding hand, and said pleasantly, “Well. We meet again p>
Colton reached through the broken window and seized him by the collar. “Tell me where she is p>
Asher didn’t so much as blink. “I genuinely don’t know p>