Chapter 197
Chapter 197:
As he sat in the softly lit dining room, Vance’s mind drifted back to college. He remembered the first time Kristine had brought Colton to meet their friends at a restaurant, and how Colton’s dismissive tone had stung. “Is this what you normally go for?” That day replayed in his mind — same price point, same effort. Only back then, that hundred dollars had taken Vance weeks to save.
Helen’s voice snapped him out of his memories. “Vance, are you going to keep daydreaming, or will you order already p>
Jolted back to the present, he picked up the menu, though the confidence he had felt earlier seemed to have slipped away the moment he looked at Kristine.
Meanwhile, just a street away, Colton sat in the back seat of his Rolls-Royce, his gaze fixed on the restaurant’s entrance. Elyse noticed his distraction and glanced outside, following his stare. The moment she recognized Kristine and Vance together, something lit up in her eyes.
“So Kristine’s with Vance now? They look like they’re having a great time p>
A flash of irritation crossed Colton’s face. “You really think that’s happiness?” he scoffed.
“Why not?” Elyse replied. “Isn’t being with someone you love the whole point p>
Colton’s lips curled into a colder smile. “You honestly believe Kristine would end up with Vance p>
Elyse met his gaze, baffled. “Why wouldn’t she? Whenever Kristine is with Vance, she lights up. That’s what real love looks like, right p>
A coldness swept over Colton’s expression. Elyse instantly went quiet, drawing back in her seat as anxiety crept in.
с𝗵i𝘯𝗲𝘀𝖾 𝗻𝘰𝘷е𝗹𝘀 𝘵r𝘢𝗻𝘴𝗹𝗮𝗍𝖾𝘥 o𝘯
It was a long moment before Colton shifted his gaze back to Kristine inside the restaurant.
There was no way Kristine would go out with Vance. A woman who had grown accustomed to extravagance would never settle for a modest existence. Right now, she was simply acting out — chasing the thrill of a rebellious phase. Sooner or later, she would see for herself that comfort and luxury couldn’t be ignored.
Gradually, the shadows in Colton’s eyes faded, replaced by a quiet new determination. With a subtle gesture, he motioned for the driver to move on.
Once Kristine, Vance, and Helen placed their orders, a hush settled over the table. An awkward chill drifted back into the air.
Helen let her gaze flick between Kristine and Vance, seated across from her, though she hadn’t lost sight of her real purpose for inviting them out today.
With deliberate casualness, she spoke up. “Vance, Kristine, you both went to Gridron University, right? The homecoming celebration is happening next week. Are you thinking of going p>
Vance’s brows shot up. “Wait, homecoming’s already next week p>
“You didn’t hear about it, Vance?” Helen pressed. “Kristine, did you know p>
Kristine responded with a small nod.
Gridron University was a place that still held both her brightest moments and her deepest wounds. Since graduation, she had only set foot on campus once — the day she had intended to break things off with Colton for good.
“You two should definitely go back for homecoming,” Helen said, offering an encouraging smile. “It’d be great to walk around, see all those old spots, and relive a few memories p>
Before saying anything, Vance glanced at Kristine. When she quietly shook her head, he turned to Helen. “If Kristine’s not interested, I’ll skip it too p>