Chapter 218
Chapter 218:
From her seat, Helen followed his every movement, her eyes bright with admiration. When the crowd erupted into cheers and began calling his name, she seized the moment, stood up, and shouted, “Ryan, I love you p>
Beside Kristine, Vance let out a quiet laugh. “Sorry you had to witness that p>
A smile curved Kristine’s lips. “Back when I was obsessed with Colton, I was probably far more unhinged than she is p>
Something seemed to click for Vance, and a subtle smile crossed his face. “That sounds about right p>
Kristine spoke softly, her expression calm. “I don’t think I’ll ever love someone with that kind of intensity again p>
Vance studied her profile as the stage lights washed her features in shifting colors. His heartbeat faltered as old memories surged forward, yet Ryan’s earlier words echoed stubbornly in his thoughts. Pushing down the unease creeping into his chest, he spoke gently. “That’s okay. Someone will always love you with all their heart p>
Caught off guard, Kristine froze.
𝖶𝖾𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘆 𝗋𝖾l𝘦a𝗌еѕ о𝗇
She turned toward Vance and found him already watching her, his gaze open and genuine — as clear and steady as water catching the light. Time seemed to stall in that brief exchange, as though everything around them had been muted. Even her own heartbeat sounded loud in her ears, each thud impossible to ignore.
She understood it wasn’t love — but something quieter and deeper, a feeling stirred by the realization that someone out there mirrored a part of who she was. Her lips parted before she could stop herself, and she murmured, “Vance p>
Color rushed to his face. He quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a cup of coffee. “I got your favorite p>
Seeing how clumsily he tried to hide his embarrassment, Kristine pressed her lips together before accepting the cup. “When did you manage to buy this p>
“I picked it up just now when I came in. The café is run by one of Helen’s classmates. Students these days really know how to make money p>
After taking a sip, Kristine nodded and replied, “That’s true. They’re far more capable than we ever were back then.” Her gaze shifted toward the stage, settling on Ryan as he spoke. With his calm posture and confident presence, he reminded her of Colton from years ago — back when everything still felt full of promise.
From her seat among the crowd, Elyse studied Ryan and remarked, “He looks familiar. Wasn’t he standing beside Kristine when we got out of the car? It seems Kristine has quite a few people drawn to her p>
Colton shot Elyse a frosty look before shifting his gaze back to Ryan on stage, his face giving nothing away.
Not long after, Ryan reached the end of his speech. Once he stepped down, he headed straight for Kristine without hesitation. “How did it go, Kristine p>
Other people’s opinions meant nothing to him, but her reaction mattered more than he cared to admit.
“It was amazing,” Kristine said honestly. “You spoke with confidence, your delivery flowed naturally, and your viewpoint stood out. Not many people your age think the way you do p>