Chapter 210
Chapter 210:
She walked to the farthest tree, crouched down, and carefully shifted a large stone at its base. Beneath it, nestled in a small hollow, sat a collection of colorful, folded notes — untouched since she had hidden them away. At the sight of them, she exhaled with relief.
These slips of paper were little confessions from her younger self, written late at night when her mind had been full of Colton. Thankfully, after they became a couple, those notes had slipped her mind entirely. If Colton ever discovered them now, she would never live it down.
She tucked the bottle alongside the notes.
Something about the lemonade still nagged at her. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but a quiet sense of caution lingered. Better to leave it here for now. Once the anniversary festivities ended, she would come back, retrieve the bottle, and have its contents checked — answers would come soon enough.
With practiced hands, Kristine set the stone back in place and scattered a few dried branches and leaves to conceal any trace. As she straightened, a deep, familiar voice drifted from behind her.
“Knew I’d find you here p>
Kristine froze, her heart skipping a beat, and slowly turned in astonishment.
“Colton p>
Kristine froze as Colton approached, panic tightening her chest until breathing became a struggle. Had he uncovered what she had hidden beneath the tree? The idea that he might have read those secret notes only made her feel more trapped.
ո𝗲𝗐 с𝘩𝗮𝗉𝗍𝘦𝗿ѕ 𝗲𝘷е𝗿𝘆 𝗐𝗲𝖾𝘬 o𝘯
“How did you end up here?” she asked.
Colton’s gaze dropped as he replied, “I followed you, of course. You looked anxious. Tell me, what are you hiding p>
Relief slowly washed over Kristine. Apparently, Colton hadn’t come here before. That made perfect sense — she had discovered this place long before their relationship began. There was simply no way he could know about it. She remembered all the effort it had taken to find this little hollow, a place where she could tuck away her sentimental scribbles far from anyone’s view.
“Unlike you, I don’t walk around plotting behind people’s backs. Maybe that’s why you’re always suspicious of everyone else,” she retorted.
Cautiously, she glanced toward the large rock, checking that nothing looked out of place, before brushing past him.
Before she got far, Colton reached for her wrist. “Is it really so unbearable for you to see me p>
“People say honesty and business don’t go together, and you prove it,” she answered, keeping her voice cool. “We agreed that once I came back, we’d keep out of each other’s way p>
“How was I supposed to know you would show up at the anniversary celebration today p>
She stopped and shot him a faint, distant smile. “In that case, you should be the one to walk away p>
Yet instead of leaving, Colton had trailed her all the way here. She had been extra cautious when hiding things, glancing over her shoulder constantly. If she hadn’t, his sudden arrival would have caught her completely off guard.
Colton’s eyes narrowed. He hadn’t trailed after her.
“Take care, Colton,” Kristine said, pulling her arm free. She hurried away from the peach trees as though something dangerous lurked behind her.