Chapter 113
Chapter 113:
With a small nod, Elyse fought back the tears pooling in her eyes, which only made her look more fragile than before. A trace of discomfort crossed Devin’s face as sympathy crept in despite himself.
Colton broke the quiet. “What happened to her p>
“Her emotions became unstable and triggered a physical reaction,” the doctor explained, then lowered his voice and addressed Colton directly. “Mr. Yates, this stage of her recovery is extremely sensitive. She cannot handle emotional distress p>
“I understand,” Colton replied.
Once the instructions were finished, the doctor took his leave. An awkward stillness settled in.
After several seconds, Colton turned to Devin. “Did anyone come to see her today p>
“No,” Devin answered.
“It is not because of Kristine,” Elyse cut in.
Colton shifted his attention back to Devin.
In𝘴𝘁𝘢n𝘵 𝘢𝗰𝗰𝖾𝘀s 𝗼ո.со𝗆
“Kristine never showed up,” Devin confirmed.
With her head lowered, Elyse spoke softly, as though confessing a mistake. “She sent me the electronic invitation to your wedding. I couldn’t process it, and then my chest started hurting. That is why this happened p>
A deep frown settled on Devin’s face. Even if he did not consider Elyse innocent, Kristine’s move struck him as a step too far. She knew how Elyse felt about Colton, yet she had chosen that moment — while Elyse was still recovering — to send the invitation. If something serious had happened, would Kristine really have escaped responsibility?
Colton rubbed his temples, irritation clearly weighing on him. “Block her p>
Elyse lifted her eyes toward him, stunned into silence.
Not long after Kristine settled into bed, her phone began to ring. The caller ID showed Victor’s name.
A lively tone came through the line. “Kristine, are you free right now? Interested in making some quick money p>
Interest sparked at once. “What kind of job are we talking about p>
“Earlier today I met an elderly man,” Victor explained. “His family owns a porcelain vase that has been passed down for generations. It is not worth much on the market, but it was a wedding gift from his wife’s parents, so it carries deep sentimental value p>
He sighed before continuing. “Their great-grandchild accidentally damaged it, and the man’s wife is devastated. She wants it restored but has not found anyone willing to take the work. They came to me. The technique is straightforward, but it takes patience, and the Institute is overloaded right now. That is why I thought of you. Are you available p>
With nothing but time on her hands — and her days recently revolving far too much around Colton — Kristine felt more restless than busy. At this point, even thinking about him irritated her.
“I can do it,” she said.
“Perfect. I will set up a meeting for tomorrow p>
Surprise flickered across Kristine’s face. “Mr. Todd, I am still in Gridron p>
“That is not a problem,” Victor replied easily. “The grandson lives there. He is just waiting for your approval so he can ship the vase to you by air p>
Kristine laughed softly. “This family sounds quite generous p>
“I have no idea who they are,” Victor said. “You will probably find out when you meet the grandson tomorrow p>
“All right.” Kristine wrote down the address he gave her.