Chapter 121
Chapter 121:
With the truth finally laid bare, Kristine let out a low, mocking laugh and typed back: “It makes no difference. In the end, I am still the one marrying Colton p>
Barely a minute passed before her phone exploded with a reply.
“Kristine!!! Do not get ahead of yourself! Colton is marrying you because he feels responsible! It is duty and guilt, not love! You mean nothing to him p>
A faint smile tugged at Kristine’s lips as her eyes fixed on the word “guilt,” even as a heavy ache settled in her chest.
She reached out, pressed the intercom beside her bed, and summoned Claire.
Claire appeared in the doorway. “Ms. Green, how can I help p>
“Contact the bridal boutique. Tell them to come collect the wedding dress tomorrow p>
𝘑𝗈і𝗻 𝘰𝗎𝗿 𝘤𝘰𝘮m𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗍𝘆 on.с𝘰m
Confusion crept into Claire’s silence. The gown delivered earlier had been stunning beyond words. Was Kristine truly dissatisfied with it?
“I got it,” Claire said.
Seeing that she had not yet stepped away, Kristine spoke again. “That will be all. You may leave p>
After a brief pause, Claire nodded and exited the room in silence.
Morning came quickly, and rather than a call from the bridal boutique, Kristine’s phone rang with Colton’s name on the screen.
“I just got a call from the shop. They claim you want to send the dress back,” he said flatly.
At the table, Kristine was carefully fitting shards of the shattered vase together with glue. Hearing his words, she allowed a faint smile to surface. “I am not exchanging it for something else. I do not need a wedding dress at all. I do not plan on marrying you p>
For a brief moment, Colton said nothing. When his voice returned, it carried a sharper edge. “Enough of this. The invitations have already been sent, and this wedding will happen. The dress stays in the house. End of discussion p>
Without waiting for a response, he ended the call.
Kristine stared at the screen for several seconds before letting out a quiet, cold laugh. She placed the phone back into Claire’s hands.
Concern showed clearly on Claire’s face. “Ms. Green p>
“I am fine. You may go now p>
“Understood.” Claire exhaled softly and pulled the door closed behind her.
In the past, Kristine had looked as though marrying Colton was her sole priority. Now everything was set, yet she was refusing. What had changed?
After the room fell quiet, Kristine’s composure remained steady. All of her attention returned to the broken vase. One fragment at a time, she aligned the pieces until the fractures slowly faded from view. People loved to claim that shattered things could never be truly restored — but that belief only applied to those who had never seen real craftsmanship at work.
Hours slipped by. Kristine remained focused until evening arrived and hunger finally drew her out of the room and toward the kitchen.
Walking past the walk-in closet, a glimpse of white fabric caught her eye.
Her steps halted. After a brief pause, she turned back, went inside, retrieved a pair of heavy scissors, and returned to stand before the doorway where the wedding gown hung in silence.