Chapter 305
Chapter 305:
Kristine scanned the vicious remarks, a slow, sardonic smile forming on her lips. Aside from Asher, there was someone else with both the ability and the motive.
“I can’t say for sure,” she murmured, barely above a whisper.
“So — what now?” Danica pressed, clearly at a loss when it came to handling scandals.
Taking a steady breath, Kristine glanced at Danica with a calm smile. “We keep going. Stick to the plan p>
Danica’s nerves got the better of her. “But are you sure this will work p>
“We’ll get through it. Real ability always shines in the end. What do I have to be afraid of p>
Tears sprang to Danica’s eyes at those words. She gave Kristine’s shoulder a playful nudge. “That’s the Kristine I remember p>
A puzzled look flickered across Kristine’s face.
𝖣𝘰𝘯’𝗍 m𝗶ѕs ո𝗲𝘄 r𝗲𝘭𝖾a𝘀еѕ 𝗈n
Danica’s eyes grew even redder. She ducked her head, wiped at her cheeks, and said softly, “Ever since I came home and saw you again, you seemed like a completely different person. When I made that trip out to Gridron, I learned just how much you’d suffered all these years. But now, hearing you talk like this — I know that tough, unstoppable Kristine is still in there, no matter what’s happened p>
Emotion welled up inside Kristine.
“You still think about those days p>
“How could I forget?” Danica said, her voice trembling. “My dad sent me overseas, and suddenly I was the only Rymonst kid around. I couldn’t even understand what anyone was saying. You can’t imagine how many times I hid under the blankets, wishing you were there. If you’d been beside me — with your gift for languages — I knew you would have understood everything and probably translated it all for me.” Her voice broke, and fresh tears threatened to fall.
Something in Kristine softened, little by little.
Since what happened with Helen, she had grown numb to feeling — from family, lovers, or friends. But watching Danica cry so openly, the walls around her heart began to crumble. At last, she reached out and pulled her into a hug. “Don’t cry anymore p>
The words only made Danica sob harder, as though she were finally releasing every hurt she had bottled up over the years. Kristine let out a soft, helpless laugh and patted her shoulder gently. When the tears finally slowed, she teased, “If you keep this up, your eyes will be all puffy and you won’t look half as pretty p>
Danica gave a watery nod and, after a few deep breaths, managed a shaky smile. “I swear, these are happy tears p>
Kristine smiled in return, but her thoughts drifted to Asher. She had come close to breaking down in front of him more than once, only to swallow her emotions at the last second. With Colton, the urge to cry had once been strong too, but she had learned to hide it — and Colton had never cared enough to notice. So why was it different with Asher?
That question lingered, creasing her brow.