Chapter 32
Chapter 32:
Their destination was a restaurant perched on the eighty-eighth floor, with an unmistakably luxurious feel. World-class chefs helmed the kitchen, and enormous glass windows framed a breathtaking panorama of Gridron below. Its romantic ambiance had made it the preferred spot for affluent couples hoping for a memorable evening.
Kristine had once wished for herself to be sitting here with Colton, sharing this place with him. She had never once pictured doing so after their breakup. Fate had a wicked sense of irony.
A waiter guided them to a prime table beside the window. Kristine’s gaze swept the room. Every other table held couples lost in each other, radiating warmth and affection. By contrast, she and Colton sat like opponents in a quiet standoff rather than partners on a romantic outing.
After they placed their orders, silence stretched between them, both of them as still as marble.
Then Colton’s phone vibrated on the table.
Elyse’s name flashed across the screen.
As he glanced up, he caught the flicker of a smile on Kristine’s lips — the same wry smile she had worn the night before, when she teased about the dinner that never happened. There was a playful sting to it.
“It never fails, does it?” Kristine remarked lightly, swirling her drink. “Looks like you’re about to lose that bet, Colton p>
Colton reached for his phone. A biting ache twisted inside his chest. “You’re in for a letdown. I’m not going anywhere tonight. We’re finishing this meal together p>
Without another word, he took the call.
Instead of Elyse’s voice, Brent’s anxious tone filled his ear. “Colton, we have an emergency. Elyse’s kidney is failing fast. Her body can’t clear the toxins and fluid. She desperately needs surgery, but she’s refusing every doctor. Please — you have to talk her into it p>
R𝗲𝗮𝘥 𝗳𝘳𝗈m yо𝗎𝘳 𝗉ho𝗻e о𝗇
Colton’s eyes narrowed. “I hear you. I’m on my way p>
He hung up and rose from his chair. “Elyse is in danger. There’s no room for games when a life is on the line p>
Kristine’s mouth curved into a slight smile. A flicker of satisfaction passed through her gaze — the kind that said she had seen this coming all along.
Colton clenched his jaw. In the end, he turned and headed out.
He could not let Elyse die. The thought of her not making it was something he could not allow himself to consider.
Kristine watched him leave without a trace of emotion on her face. She decided to stay seated. The restaurant charged close to a thousand dollars per person — no reasonable person would abandon a meal like that for nothing. She took her time finishing, and when she was done, she set down her napkin and prepared to leave.
As she rose from her chair, a scornful laugh rang out behind her. “Well, look who it is. Kristine Green herself. Didn’t you move back to Peudon? What brings you back so soon? I figured you’d have more backbone — keep your distance for a year or two at least. Seems I overestimated you p>
Kristine glanced over her shoulder.
A young woman, probably in her early twenties, stood there in head-to-toe designer clothes. Everything about her signaled old money. Her features were unremarkable, but her figure drew the eye.