Chapter 185
Chapter 185:
Only Kristine met Colton’s eyes head-on, her gaze clear and still as water. “Vance doesn’t have your wealth, but nobody contributed more to building K&C Entertainment than he did. If anyone deserves to drink with you, it’s him p>
Colton fixed his gaze on her in silence, studying her for a long moment. A restrained smile finally touched his lips, though the chill in his eyes never faded. “He doesn’t deserve it p>
Kristine drew a slow breath to keep her anger in check, knowing that arguing would only make things worse. She raised her glass and drained it in one smooth motion, setting it upside down on the table when she finished. “Is that good enough for you, Colton p>
A sharp pain twisted through her stomach, but she masked it almost immediately.
Colton’s expression only grew colder.
Then a strangled sob broke the tension.
“I’m sorry, Colton. This is all my fault. I was the one who insisted we join, and now look what’s happened.” Elyse buried her face in her hands, tears streaming freely. “It’s my fault. I’ll just leave.” She rushed out of the room before anyone could stop her.
Kristine watched Elyse disappear, then addressed Colton in an even tone. “Aren’t you going after her p>
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. “Is that what you want p>
𝘞𝖾 𝘶p𝘥a𝘵𝖾 𝘦𝘃𝗲𝗿y 𝗐𝖾𝖾𝘬 𝗼𝗻
“Of course,” Kristine replied without hesitation.
Colton’s stare hardened, his lips curving into an icy smirk before he turned and strode after Elyse.
One by one, every gaze followed the pair as they left. Quiet sighs rippled through the room.
Vance turned to Kristine, concern etched across his face. “Are you all right? This is on me. I should have checked ahead of time. If I’d known Mr. Yates and Miss Lloyd would show up p>
Kristine shook her head gently. “Don’t blame yourself, Vance. None of this is your doing p>
She glanced at the rest of the table, where everyone sat frozen, not daring to move. Forcing a smile, she tried to lift the mood. “Let’s not sit here in silence. Please, everyone — eat p>
Only then did the group slowly begin to reach for their food. Even so, the heaviness in the air never fully lifted, and the party ended under a weight that was difficult to shake.
Outside the hotel, Vance apologized once more. “I’m truly sorry. I wanted tonight to be a good memory for you, and I never imagined it would turn out like this p>
“I already told you — none of this was your fault,” Kristine said with a small smile.
“I truly hoped I could leave you with something positive,” Vance said, releasing a soft breath. “K&C Entertainment was never only about you and Colton. It carries the memories the rest of us made while working side by side. Even if that time didn’t last long, those moments felt real to me — almost something rare and fleeting p>
Kristine came to a halt. Her eyes softened as she turned to look at him. “Vance p>
He glanced back and noticed she had lingered a few steps behind. “What’s wrong? Why did you stop p>
Kristine met his gaze without hesitation. What she saw in his eyes was affection and sincerity.