Chapter 345
Chapter 345:
All the footage of Kristine answering questions had been stripped out and replaced with clips of Elyse giving polished, confident responses. The inserts were obviously recorded after the fact, and Elyse’s sudden leap in performance from one episode to the next was impossible to overlook. Audiences caught on immediately, sparking a wave of criticism online and pushing Elyse straight into the trending topics. Despite the backlash, the production team refused to address the controversy, projecting an air of indifference — as though the outcome had always been predetermined.
“This is infuriating!” Danica exclaimed over the phone. “There’s no way the team would do this without Colton’s influence. I’m going to file a formal complaint about this sham of a show p>
Kristine watched Elyse’s flawless performance onscreen and replied, her tone calm and distant. “Let it go p>
“How can you just drop it?” Danica clutched her chest, seething. “Elyse stole your victory and the recognition you deserved. Evira’s return of cultural artifacts is historic — this is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. I have to report this p>
“It won’t make a difference. Even if you file a complaint, nothing will change.” Kristine had come to understand how things worked after all these years. Whatever Elyse wanted, Colton would move heaven and earth to secure. Compared to that, a cultural exchange slot meant very little.
“Whether it works or not, I have to try.” With that, Danica ended the call.
𝘘u𝗮l𝘪𝗍𝘆 t𝗋аոs𝘭𝖺𝘵𝗂o𝗻𝘀 оn
Kristine almost called back to stop her, but her attempts went unanswered. Worried that Danica might cross a line with Colton, she quickly set off for Danica’s house.
It took two hours to get there.
As soon as she arrived, Danica’s parents recognized her at once.
“Kristine, is that you? My goodness, it’s been ages — and you’ve only grown prettier!” Rosina Jackson exclaimed warmly, reaching for Kristine’s hand. “Are you here to see Danica? She left in a huff about an hour ago, clearly upset about something. Don’t stand at the door — come in and make yourself comfortable p>
Timothy Jackson greeted her with a broad, welcoming smile.
Seeing them both filled Kristine with a quiet, comforting warmth. She remembered visiting Danica’s home once before, back in middle school, not long after they became deskmates. Danica’s parents had welcomed her with the same genuine warmth she felt now.
One particular moment had stayed with her all these years — Rosina giving Timothy a gentle kiss on the cheek at the dinner table. Her own parents had never shown each other that kind of affection. Monica had always regarded her father with thinly veiled contempt, so unlike the tenderness Rosina showed Timothy. That evening, Kristine had understood for the first time that some couples remained loving long after raising children. It had also made clear to her that Monica’s repeated excuse — that she resented her because of her father — had always been just an empty claim.
“Thank you, Mrs. Jackson, but since Danica isn’t home, I won’t come inside,” Kristine replied, just as a phone began to ring.
The call was for Timothy. He picked up, then turned back to Kristine. “Since you made the trip all this way, you must stay for dinner.” He stepped out onto the balcony to take the call.
Kristine glanced at Rosina. “Actually, I have something else I need to take care of, so I’ll just p>
Her sentence was cut short by Timothy’s furious voice from the balcony. “Call Danica and tell her to get home right now p>