Chapter 206
Chapter 206:
Trailing close behind was Ryan, who had shown up because Helen had mentioned Kristine would be attending. Ever since that night at the motel, his longing for Kristine had grown wild and unrestrained, impossible to keep in check. Despite that, he could never come up with a genuine excuse to see her again. The news that she would be at the anniversary celebration had left him restless, tossing in bed until sunrise.
Snapping back to the present, Ryan realized Vance was eyeing him with thinly veiled suspicion, still convinced he had betrayed Kristine. Rather than shying away, Ryan met his gaze head-on.
A shadow crossed Vance’s face. He still suspected Ryan — yet the way Ryan carried himself just didn’t fit the image of someone guilty. If Ryan wasn’t responsible, then…
Vance’s eyes flickered toward Helen, who smiled brightly. A cold shiver passed through him, but he shook it off. There was no way. Helen couldn’t possibly be involved.
“Vance, did you hear what I just said?” Helen’s voice cut through his thoughts. She was studying him with a puzzled look, clearly unsettled by his distracted stare.
He snapped out of it. “Sorry, I was thinking about work p>
Only then did he notice Kristine was missing. He glanced around. “Where did Kristine go p>
і𝘯s𝘵𝗮ո𝘵 𝘢сс𝖾𝘴𝗌 𝗈𝘯
“She stepped away to answer a call,” Helen said.
Turning, Vance spotted Kristine beneath a tree, quietly speaking into her phone.
It was Victor on the line.
Monica and Jemma had gone quiet for a while, only to reemerge with a lawyer and confront Marty, threatening legal action against Kristine to reclaim the antiques.
Victor’s tone was reassuring. “But there’s no need for you to worry about it. I’ve already spoken with Marty’s attorney. Unless Monica and Jemma find a real legal heavyweight, there’s little chance they’ll win. I just wanted to keep you informed p>
“Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Todd. I appreciate it p>
Victor picked up on the background noise. “Sounds lively over there. Are you at an event? I won’t keep you any longer p>
Kristine slipped her phone back into her bag and started toward Vance — until the crowd’s excited chatter caught her attention.
“No way! That’s a Rolls-Royce p>
“Isn’t that Colton’s car? Do you think he’s the mystery guest p>
Long before the anniversary celebration began, the school had been dropping hints about an important guest, fueling curiosity and excitement. Students on the forum had spent days trying to guess who it might be, never quite figuring it out. Now, seeing the car pull up, everyone buzzed and strained to catch a glimpse.
Kristine didn’t even need to glance at the vehicle to know Colton was inside. That luxury car was unmistakably his.
The Rolls-Royce rolled to a halt just a short distance from where she stood. A moment later, the passenger door swung open and Bobby climbed out, drawing a hush of anticipation from the crowd. He moved to the back, opened the rear door with a practiced motion, and Colton stepped out, clad in a tailored black suit.
Bathed in sunlight, his chiseled features and icy stare made him look almost unreal — like a living sculpture carved by a master’s hand. He radiated an effortless nobility, the kind reserved for men accustomed to rooms that fell silent the moment they entered.
The students erupted into applause and cheers.