Chapter 106
Chapter 106:
His attention dropped to the slender fingers wrapped around his arm, and a brief warmth flickered through his eyes. “Yes,” he replied quietly.
Kristine did not hesitate. “Then I want one condition. You never see Elyse again. Can you promise that p>
Dragging Elyse into legal trouble herself was never a realistic option — there was simply no solid proof.
A tight swallow moved down Colton’s throat. “I promised to look after her for the rest of my life p>
Kristine pressed her lips together, then lowered her voice deliberately. “What happened between us did not fall apart on its own. Her constant presence played a large part. As long as you two stay connected, there is no future for us. We cannot go back to what we were p>
Silence stretched between them.
He could not deny that Elyse had been one of the main reasons his relationship with Kristine had crumbled. Still…
As she watched the struggle play out on his face, a familiar coldness crept through Kristine’s chest, spreading slowly.
Even cutting off contact with Elyse was something he could not decide without hesitation.
Just as she expected.
𝗥eа𝘥 𝗐i𝘁ho𝘂𝗍 𝘪𝗇𝗍еrr𝘂𝘱𝘁𝘪оոѕ o𝘯
All his talk of marriage and second chances turned out to be little more than guilt dressed up as devotion.
In that moment, Kristine felt unexpectedly grateful that she had never revealed Elyse’s true involvement. If Colton had known, he would have shielded Elyse without question — and she would have been left with no way to ever hold Elyse accountable.
“I need some rest,” Kristine said, her voice carrying a cold edge. “I want you to leave p>
With nothing more to say, she cocooned herself in the blanket, refusing to show Colton anything but her back. There was no mistaking her desire for distance.
Colton pressed his fingers to his temples. He might be able to keep his distance from Elyse, but a promise was a promise. Finding a solution for her weighed heavily on his mind.
“I’ll get out of your way.” Quietly, he stepped into the hallway and pulled the door closed behind him.
Only after the corridor grew still did Kristine allow herself a single glance at the door.
A knock sounded almost immediately.
Annoyance flashed across her face. “I said I needed some rest p>
The door eased open, and Asher rolled inside. “You say you need rest, but you sound full of life. Maybe those missing days weren’t so hard on you after all p>
Kristine hadn’t expected to see him there. “You’re still in Gridron, Mr. Edwards p>
“You didn’t think I’d skip our meeting, did you p>
He left unspoken that when she disappeared, he had spent days searching for her until his people finally found her in this hospital.
“Something came up. I’m sorry about that p>
“You don’t have to apologize.” Asher lifted the insulated container from beside his wheelchair. “Some things are out of your hands p>
Relief softened Kristine’s face as she eyed the container in his hands. “What did you bring p>
“Chicken soup. I heard you were here but didn’t know why, so I made something comforting. Hope you like it p>