Chapter 198
Chapter 198:
“No way!” Helen blurted out, her voice louder than intended. She felt her cheeks warm and quickly tried to recover. “I just… really want both of you to come, that’s all.” Her gaze dropped as she fidgeted with her napkin, finally admitting, “I’ll be giving the student speech that day. Representing our year p>
Vance’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “Oh… so that’s why p>
He looked back at Kristine, gentle encouragement in his voice. “Why don’t you go this time? You’ve been cooped up indoors lately. Getting out in the sun would do you good p>
Kristine’s first instinct was to refuse, just as always. But then she paused — if she truly wanted to give Vance a chance, they would need more shared experiences and time together. With that in mind, she nodded her agreement.
A bright, genuine smile lit up Helen’s face. She leaned over and looped her arm through Kristine’s, beaming. “I knew you’d come through for me p>
The easy closeness between the two women caught Vance’s eye, and the anxious tightness that had gripped his chest all evening finally began to fade.
Dо𝗐𝘯𝗹𝘰𝗮𝗱 𝘗𝘋𝖥𝘴 𝘧𝗿ee 𝗈ո gаl𝘯о𝗏е𝗅𝗌.сo𝗺
When lunch ended, Vance drove Helen back to her dorm first, then took Kristine home. A heavy silence hung in the car along the way.
No matter how hard he tried, Vance couldn’t find the right words to fill it. To him, Kristine had always been like the moon in a clear night sky — radiant, untouchable, forever a little out of reach. Back then, he had only ever admired her from afar. Having her seated beside him felt almost dreamlike, as if reality itself had shifted.
Every word that came to mind seemed loaded, and he held back, afraid that saying the wrong thing would push her away for good. That constant fear only made conversation more difficult, each silence stretching longer than the last.
After more than ten minutes of wrestling with his thoughts, Vance finally broke the quiet. “Oh — by the way, the share transfer is finished. As of today, you and the company are officially separated.” He eased the car to a stop, then reached into his briefcase and handed Kristine a thick folder of paperwork and a bank card.
“There’s over two hundred million in that account,” Vance explained. “Thirty percent above market value, paid in full.” He let out a dry, self-mocking laugh. “I guess Mr. Yates doesn’t mind being generous with his cash p>
A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Kristine’s lips. Vance didn’t know Colton the way she did. To someone like Colton, hundreds of millions meant little more than pocket change. It stung even more knowing the entire company would soon belong to Elyse.
Rather than reaching for the bank card, Kristine took the thick folder of contracts into her hands. Seven years of sweat and sleepless nights, all reduced to this stack of papers.
She set the card aside and spoke with quiet conviction. “I want you to split that money into four portions. One goes to Gridron University, to support students from families who can barely make ends meet. Another should fund an educational program for kids in rural areas. The third part should stay with K&C p>